Chapter 9

Capitalist Business and

Environmental Ethics
 Group Members:
• Ali Abbas Ahmed
• Agha Talha
• Meer Murtaza
• Mikaal Mahmood
• Akbar Khan
• Farhan Razzaq
 What is Environmentalism?

• Environmentalism is the greatest obstacle for

the capitalist world order
• There are two ways of looking at
environmentalism, firstly it could refer to
protecting the environment or it could refer to a
collection of different ‘Environmentalisms’
Enlightenment attitude to nature
• Enlightenment thinkers regard nature as
essential for material and inner improvement.
• The knowledge of nature is suppose to awaken
a higher level of consciousness similar to the
inspiration that one gets from religion.
• Nature signifies a horizon of knowledge and
different comprehension of reality.
• The higher level of consciousness is
suppose to motivate human behavior
and judgment.
• This can be contrasted to post modernist
views where day to day living is more
important and a need is not felt to attain
a higher level of consciousness.
 Capitalist attitude to nature
• The purposes of accumulation, utility
maximization and greatest happiness of the
greatest numbers requires excessive usage
of our natural resources.
• Capitalist order to full fill its purpose of
accumulation must dominate nature as mans
needs are limited but his wants are unlimited.
• As a result the greater part of natural
resources are harnessed and stored.
 Capitalist property and free
resources
• John Locke in his ‘Second Treatise
on Civil Government’ distinguished
between the civil society and the
‘state of nature’.
• He said that all the resources on
earth belonged to man and he could
do what ever he wished with them.
• Locke considered the ‘state of
nature’ an abundance of almost
worthless provisions only made into
usable resources by human
invention and labor.
• He stated that when man takes something out
of the state of nature and attaches his label to
it, it then becomes his property.
• His argument for this was that land with out
labor was worthless.
• Therefore according to Locke, ‘property’ and its
ownership is justified on the grounds of
accumulation
 Sustainability

• The worlds production needs are well

beyond the needs of the worlds
population.
• Sustainable development is the concept
of using resources in an ecologically
sound manner, so that the need of
future generations can be met.
• Sustainable development issues are very
relevant to nations with high CO2 emissions
and levels of deforestation.
• They are just as relevant for developing
nations like Pakistan, who are far behind on
sustainable development indicators.
 Public Relations and Environment
Concerns

• For a person living in a civil society, environmental

issues are a serious concern.
• When such a person shows concern about
environmental issues, he's highlighting the destructive
consumption of natural resources.
• Corporations are regularly counseled to adopt
environment friendly practices. If they do not,
they are generally frowned upon.
 Corporate Environmental
Responsibility
• Depends on the views
shared by the firm
and it’s customers.
• Multinationals, which
are part of the
capitalist order should
favor sustainability
approaches.
• This of course
requires a civil
society.
 Islamic View

• The essence of Islamic proprietorship is to

make the minimum necessary use of
available resources and not to exploit the
environment.
• The priority is to live in a way in this world
which enables us to attain the hereafter.
• Therefore sustainability is not an end in
itself but merely a means for success in the
hereafter.