THINK Debate: Costing the Earth: Is it Time to Ditch Capitalism?

Is our economic system driving us to extinction?

The facts

Last year, environmentalist George Monbiot claimed that our economic system is incompatible with the survival of life. His message that "we have to go straight to the heart of Capitalism - and overthrow it" went viral. Watch the video on YouTube.

Others say that it is only by putting capitalist systems to use that can we bring about the change needed to protect our planet.

What do you think?

Do we need to overthrow capitalism in order to sustain life on this planet? If so, what economic system should replace it?

Guest speakers

Grace Blakeley

Grace is a staff writer at Tribune magazine and the author of 'Stolen: How to save the world from financialisation'. She previously worked for ippr and regularly appears as an expert on shows such as Politics Live, The Today Programme and BBC Question Time.

Nathaniel Cooke

Nathaniel is the President of the Cambridge Society for Economic Pluralism while studying Archaeology and Anthropology at King's College, Cambridge. He is active withinCambridge Social Ecology a community organising group dedicated to fighting the climate crisis through the promotion of direct democracy and social equality.

Emily Carver

Emily is Media Manager at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think-tank. She previously worked as Policy Adviser to a Conservative MP. 

This debate will be streamed live to our Southend Campus: GB 3.23.

Come along to the Seminar on 29 January in 5S.7.5 to discuss these issues ahead of the debate.

Part of the THINK Series of debates.

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