Care and Capitalism

The logics and ethics of neoliberal capitalism dominate public discourses and politics in the early twenty-first century. They morally endorse and institutionalize forms of competitive self-interest that jettison social justice values, and are deeply antithetical to love, care and solidarity.

But capitalism is neither invincible nor inevitable. While people are self-interested, they are not purely self-interested: they are bound affectively and morally to others, even to unknown others. The cares, loves and solidarity relationships within which people are engaged give them direction and purpose in their daily lives. They constitute cultural residuals of hope that stand ready to move humanity beyond a narrow capitalism-centric set of values.

In this instructive and inspiring book, Kathleen Lynch sets out to reclaim the language of love, care and solidarity both intellectually and politically and to place it at the heart of contemporary discourse. Her goal is to help unseat capital at the gravitational centre of meaning-making and value, thereby helping to create logics and ethical priorities for politics that are led by care, love and solidarity.

Autorentext

Kathleen Lynch is Professor Emerita of Equality Studies at University College Dublin and a Commissioner at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

Inhalt

Introduction

1 Care and Capitalism: Matters of Social Justice and Resistance

Part I Care Matters Inside and Outside Capitalism

2 Care as Abject: Capitalism, Masculinity, Bureaucracy, Class and Race

3 Making Love: Love Labour as Distinctive and Non-Commodifiable

4 Time to Care

Part II Challenges

5 Liberalism, Care and Neoliberalism

6 Individualism and Capitalism: From Personalized Salvation to Human Capitals

7 Care-Harming Ideologies of Capitalism: Competition, Measurement and Meritocratic Myths

Part III Violence - the Nemesis of Care

8 The Violation of Non-Human Animals

9 Violence and Capitalism

Part IV Conclusions

10 Resisting Intellectually, Politically, Culturally and EducationallyPostscript: Care Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic