A government continues to privatize once public environmental resources, such as forests. This government does so to grow its revenue stream while the private companies who gain ownership of the forest continue deforestation at exponentially higher levels, permanently eliminating most of the country's trees, all in the name of greater profit margins. What is this an example of?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of the treadmill of production, which is a concept that describes the unsustainable pursuit of growth, driven by capitalist economies. It is characterized by an incessant cycle of consumption, production, and waste generation, where the profits made from exploiting natural resources are used to finance further exploitation, leading to ever-increasing environmental degradation. In this case, the government's privatization of forests is driven by the pursuit of revenue growth, which incentivizes companies to engage in deforestation at levels that permanently eliminate most of the country's trees.

A Government Continues to Privatize Once Public Environmental Resources, Such