1. What does Appleby argue was different about global capitalism in the last quarter of the 19th century than the previous 300 years?
According to Appleby, capitalism is not just a result of actions, rather a result of a capitalist mentality. The author argues that even though capitalists existed 300 years back, the overall global attitude towards capitalism did not prevail. Focussing on England itself, she states that up to 300 years back, when capitalism was non-existent, up to 80 percent of the total population was engaged in agriculture. It was only after the innovations and new agriculture techniques came that there was seen a drastic fall in the agriculture labour. The surplus labour hence was absorbed in other manufacturing practices. The other difference that can be seen between global capitalism in the 19th century and 300 years earlier was the government intervention. In years prior to capitalism, the government was not interested in supporting the capitalist activities of individuals. However, in the 19th century, the government supported the advancements and innovations, leading to the emergence of internet and such. All this furthered the capitalistic approach in the global arena.
2. According to Mike Davis, what was the role of the weather in the El Niño Famines? What was the role of racism in the El Niño Famines? What was the role of free trade in the El Niño Famines?
According to Mike Davis, the Pacific Ocean functioned as a “planetary heat engine coupled to the trade winds”. This affected the rainfall patterns throughout the tropics and the temperate latitude. The El Nino effect (that is the rapid warming of the eastern tropical pacific) resulted in famines and synchronous droughts in Asia, Africa and northeast South America.
During the El Nino famines, racism played a major role as the Englishmen, instead of feeling an urge to help the nations suffering from the famines and drought, rather thought of it as an opportunity to colonise these nations instead. As Mike Davis explains in the words of young Grant, “the Englishmen looks upon these people as his hewers of food and drawers of water, whose duty is to work and thank the Lord when they are not flogged.”
In the face of famine and drought, the nations suffering had the means and stock to help and provide relief to the victims. However, the free trade and the control of the English retarded the process of relief where the focus was instead on exporting as much grain to Britain as possible, even as millions were dying of starvation in the affected nations. Thus, it may suffice to say that free trade helped in aggravating the drought and famine situation in Asia and Africa.
3. In what ways does our viewpoint or conviction of our own “rightness” affect our understanding of ideologies or cultural beliefs?
After studying Appleby, Davis and Klein, we, as a reader, feel a sense of righteousness towards capitalism. While the authors may deem it imperative for capitalism to set in the 19th century, we feel sceptical about the cost of ushering in this capitalism. From the readings as mentioned above, it is clear that in a bid to improve cost margins and increase profits, capitalists swooped down to starting with the slave trade, even as their own interests prevented them from helping the millions dying in famines. The more recent example is that of the “shock treatment” meted by Pinochet in Chicago in order to establish his own interpretation of capitalistic approach. In all of the examples above, the capitalist approach was given firsthand over the humanistic approach. Millions of people have lost towards the establishing of capitalistic era. It only makes us question the viability of it all. On the other hand though, it is thanks to the capitalism that the modernisation took place and we are living in such advanced times with modern amenities and opportunities to make something of ourselves. We may, therefore, conclude by saying that capitalism is a two-sided sword. It takes as it gives!
Bibliography
Appleby, Joyce. The Relentless Revolution: A History of Capitalism. New York: WW Norton, 2011.
Davis, Mike. Late Victorian Holocausts: El Nino Famines and the Making of the Third World. London: Verso, n.d.
Klein, Naomi. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. New York: Picador, n.d.
