Capitalism Co-opted Humanitarianism. We Can Save It
Capitalist humanitarianism mirrors the deeply inequitable global economic order that drives humanitarian need. Power asymmetries are widespread, ensuring that those with better access to information and decision-makers possess distinct advantages. The result is an acute concentration of capital, with a limited number of actors, that would make even the largest transnational corporations envious. This is a classic case of
elite capture, suggest Dustin Barter and Mohamed Yarrow in
The New Humanitarian. Capitalist humanitarianism is a self-regulating market - a survival of the fittest. As pluralism diminishes and conformity grows, the sector is faced with the reality of an entrenched oligarchy. The apex of this food chain is the United Nations, the oligarchy of capitalist humanitarianism. The authors propose that just like the global economy, humanitarian oligarchy asserts vast influence and stands in the way of systemic change.
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org
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