The Struggle for Liberation: Capitalism, Imperialism, and the Ecological Crisis

The modern Middle East, and specifically Palestine, is a flashpoint not just for geopolitical conflict but for understanding the deep, systemic crises of our global economy. Palestine’s liberation is not just a matter of moral urgency—it represents a seismic shift in global power relations. If Palestine were to be free, it would catalyze the liberation of the entire Middle East. But more importantly, such liberation threatens the foundations of global capitalism, centered in the imperial core, which depends on controlling peripheral economies to sustain its existence.

Capitalism and the Crisis of Imperialism

At the heart of this analysis is the recognition that capitalism and imperialism are inseparable. Capitalism, as a system of production, thrives on the cheapening of labor and the extraction of resources from the Global South. This isn’t a new phenomenon; for over 500 years, wealth accumulation in the imperial core has depended on the exploitation of colonies and neo-colonies. As noted by Kishore Mahbubani, a leading geopolitical scholar, the structure of global capitalism has systematically disadvantaged the Global South, rendering it subservient to the demands of the Global North, where wealth is concentrated in a small ruling class.

But liberation, be it of Palestine or any other nation in the Global South, poses a direct threat to this economic order. A liberated Palestine would not only signal the beginning of the end for imperial dominance in the Middle East, but it would unravel the systemic economic control that capitalism has maintained over the region. The ripple effects of such liberation would destabilize the global capitalist system, which depends on control of Middle Eastern oil, resources, and labor to keep the engines of accumulation running in the core economies.

The Ecological Crisis: A Colonial Legacy

The ecological crisis we face today is another dimension of this system of exploitation. Climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and the depletion of natural resources are not random occurrences; they are the direct result of capitalist systems that prioritize profit over sustainability. As Jeffrey Sachs highlights, the ruling classes of the Global North—those who control the means of production, energy systems, and investments—are overwhelmingly responsible for the carbon emissions driving climate change. Yet, it is the countries of the Global South, including Palestine and others across the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, that bear the brunt of the ecological fallout.

In fact, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has reported that the countries most affected by climate change are those that have contributed the least to the crisis. For example, sub-Saharan Africa, responsible for less than 4% of global carbon emissions, faces devastating consequences from rising temperatures, droughts, and food insecurity. Similarly, Palestine, while suffering under occupation, has seen its water resources depleted and its environment deteriorated, with Israeli settlements and industrial zones polluting Palestinian land.

This ecological disaster, however, is not separate from the economic system that drives it. Capitalist imperialism, by definition, depends on the over-extraction of resources from the periphery. Half of the material used in the economies of the Global North is net appropriated from the Global South. As a result, while the core economies benefit from the resources, the periphery suffers the environmental and social consequences. This is not just true for climate breakdown but for all ecological crises, whether it be deforestation in the Amazon, mining in the Congo, or water scarcity in Palestine. The destruction is localized in the Global South, while the wealth it generates flows to the Global North.

The Paradox of Productivity and Poverty

There is an incredible paradox at the heart of this system. The global economy is more productive than ever before. We possess unparalleled technological capabilities, vast productive resources, and sophisticated infrastructure that can easily meet human needs. Yet, 80% of the global population cannot meet their basic needs. This includes housing, healthcare, education, and food security.

How is it possible that, in a world of unprecedented productive capacity, we see such widespread poverty? The answer lies in capitalism's organization of production. Instead of using our resources and technology to solve humanity's pressing problems, production is organized around what is most profitable for capital. Our factories, energy systems, and technologies are geared toward facilitating accumulation in the core, rather than meeting the needs of the global population or addressing our ecological limits.

The current economic system prioritizes capital accumulation above all else. As a result, poverty persists, and climate change appears intractable. This is not due to a lack of solutions—far from it. We know exactly what needs to be done. But as long as control over production remains in the hands of a small ruling class, organized around profit, these crises will continue.

Economic Democracy: The Antidote to Capitalist Imperialism

The solution to both the social and ecological crises we face is clear: economic democracy. As it stands, the vast majority of the world’s population has no control over the economic systems that dictate their lives. While some nations may have political democracies, where citizens elect representatives, these same citizens have no say over economic decisions—what is produced, how it is distributed, and who benefits.

Economic democracy would mean that communities and workers collectively control the means of production and determine the goals of production. Under such a system, we could reorganize our productive capacities to meet human needs and solve the ecological crisis. We could ensure that resources are distributed equitably and sustainably, prioritizing the needs of the global population over the profits of a few.

The Global South, in particular, needs economic sovereignty to engage in sustainable development and climate action. However, the economic system dominated by the Global North prevents this from happening. Structural adjustment programs imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank deny countries in the Global South the ability to use progressive industrial, fiscal, and monetary policies. These tools, which are essential for achieving development and ecological transition, are effectively off-limits.

As long as countries in the Global South are denied economic sovereignty, they will not be able to engage in the ecological planning or energy transition necessary to combat climate change. This is why the struggle for economic liberation is so critical. Liberation struggles in the periphery—from Palestine to Bolivia—represent a direct challenge to the capitalist world economy. Capitalism’s survival depends on the continued cheapening of labor and resources in the Global South. Any effort by these nations to reclaim control over their resources and labor is seen as a threat, and as history has shown, these efforts are often met with violent repression.

The Case of Palestine

Palestine is a clear example of how liberation movements in the Global South are systematically crushed by imperial powers. For capital in the core, the liberation of Palestine represents more than just the loss of a geopolitical foothold in the Middle East. It signals the potential for broader liberation movements across the region, which would threaten the entire capitalist system. A liberated Middle East would disrupt the flow of resources, particularly oil, which is critical to the functioning of core economies.

As Jeffrey Sachs notes, this is why Palestine’s struggle is not just a moral one—it is fundamentally economic. The violence against Palestinians is not just about land or sovereignty; it is about maintaining control over the region’s resources and preventing any threat to the global capitalist order. This same dynamic has played out across history—from Iraq to Libya, from Indonesia to the Congo. Liberation struggles in the Global South are met with extraordinary violence because they threaten the foundations of capitalism.

The Urgency of Economic Democracy and Climate Action

We cannot solve the ecological crisis, or any other global crisis, without addressing the underlying economic system. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives and Climate Action efforts will fail unless we achieve economic democracy. As long as the capitalist system prioritizes accumulation over sustainability, any efforts to combat climate change will be undermined. We need a system that prioritizes the well-being of people and the planet, not the profits of a few.

It is time to build movements that are capable of achieving this change. The Global South must fight for economic sovereignty, and the Global North must support these struggles while also working to democratize its own economies. Only then can we hope to solve the social and ecological crises that threaten our future.

The choice is clear: continue down the path of capitalist exploitation, or embrace a new system of economic democracy that can address the urgent challenges we face. The time to act is now.