I came across the insight in ‘Turning the tide’, a 2019 book by writer and philosopher Joke J. Hermsen about the inspiring political and economic thinkers Rosa Luxemburg and Hannah Arendt. Two women who were already writing analyses on the excesses of capitalism and individualism at the beginning of the 20th century. Their analyses are spot on and could have been written today.

What struck me is with Rosa Luxemburg’s insight that capitalism ALWAYS needs something from OUTSIDE ITSELF for its own growth (and thus for its own survival).

We see this, for example, in the documentary ‘Deep Rising’, which De Groene Amsterdammer is making available free to its members this month. This docu is about mining on the ocean floor. The text accompanying it reads: ‘To power the green economy, untapped territory is being tapped: the deep sea. ‘Deep Rising’ by Matthieu Rytz asks us the pressing question: are we now going to mine the last piece of planet we haven’t touched yet?’

The answer is: Yes, absolutely no doubt that we will. Because capitalism is always looking for NEW ‘FIELDS’ TO EXPLOIT. We have seen this in recent years with the division of the Arctic among ‘the Arctic Five’. But also, for instance, with fracking, the extraction of shale gas and shale oil from the deep underground. But also, of course, the endless pillaging of our primary forests and coastal areas worldwide.

But also colonialism (historical and contemporary) can be seen in this light. And also whole other forms of newly mined ‘territories’, such as our internet data and privacy data being collected and sold. The care for our elderly and children that we buy from market players (in the past, this was something the community took care of for each other). The human body which is commercial territory in every possible way. But even our activism. Consider, for instance, the annexation of the rainbow flag by business (pinkwashing).

And so on. CAPITALISM ALWAYS NEEDS SOMETHING FROM OUTSIDE ITSELF. You only start seeing it, once you see through it. And it won’t stop by itself.