Description
Book SynopsisCapitalism has become so dominant that it is difficult to ever imagine a world in which its injustices and inequalities are not violently present. In this ambitious and compelling book, Oli Mould turns his diagnosis of capitalism's perversions towards defining the new set of ethics we need to succeed in organizing a more just society.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, capitalism has been rocked to its foundations and 'the commons' as a means of providing for all people in our world has come crashing into the foreground. However, in order for the commons to be a viable alternative to the injustices of capitalism, it needs to be grown to a planetary scale. This is not an easy process, but if we can commit to act ethically in the world, then suddenly anything is possible. Blending theoretical thinking and real-life examples of commoning in action, Mould guides the reader through a suite of ethical mindsets – mutualism, transmaterialism, minoritarianism, decodification, slowness, failure and love – which can stand firm against capitalism's seemingly inexorable ability to co-opt and subsume all before it. When thought of collectively, these ethics can offer tantalizing visions and practical approaches towards a world beyond capitalism.
Trade Review"[B]old and original … an invitation into a more compassionate and generous way of being in the world."
Jeremy Williams, The Earthbound Report
"A very readable and thought-provoking contribution to what is surely the most important debate of the modern era."
Christians on the Left
"Seven Ethics Against Capitalism sharply reveals the multiple crises being generated by the capitalist mode of production – from climate breakdown, to inequality, to the erosion of democracy – and how impossible it would be to fix any of these problems without a radical transformation in the way we organize society. Mould convincingly argues that values such as solidarity, stewardship and radical love must be at the heart of this new vision for the world, as well as the movements aiming to bring it into being."
Grace Blakeley, author of Stolen: How to Save the World from Financialisation
"In times when everything from nature to desire is being privatized, to shift our attention towards planetary commons is an essential ethical duty. Oli Mould's timely Seven Ethics Against Capitalism is an urgent and passionate call not only to deeply rethink our dire present but to create the conditions for our common future beyond capitalism."
Srećko Horvat, author of After the Apocalypse
"A conceptual toolkit and survival guide for outliving capitalism. Through an original, compelling and readable account of the commons, Mould distils a set of ethical dispositions for building a more convivial and democratic future."
David Madden, London School of Economics and Political ScienceTable of ContentsIntroduction
Ethic 1: Mutualism
Ethic 2: Transmaterialism
Ethic 3: Minoritarianism
Ethic 4: Decodification
Ethic 5: Slowness
Ethic 6: Failure
Ethic 7: Love
Conclusion: The State of the Commons
