Competition in nature

Here are a couple of quotes from Porritt's new book on capitalism and the environment (see a review). Heavy reading maybe, but some very important ideas in it. Economists are fixated on competition as the driving force for efficency, and claim a simple interpretation of Darwinism to justify their statement. This i think is a gross misunderstanding.

Biologist Lewis Thosmas is quoted as saying, "the urge to form partnerships, to link up in collaborative arrangements is perhaps the oldest, strongest and most fundamental force in nature. There are no solitary, free living creatures; every form of life is dependent on other forms."

Donella Matthews put it this way, and this is brilliant.


"Economics says: compete. Only by pitting yourself against a worthy opponent will you perform efficiently. The reward for sucessful competition will be growth. The Earth says: compete yes, but keep your competition within bounds. Don't annihilate. Take only what you need. Leave your cometitor enough to live. Wherever possible dont compete, cooperate. Pollinate each other, create shelter for each other, build firm structures that can lift small species to the light. Pass around the nutrients, share the territory. Some kinds of excellence rise out of competition; other kinds rise from cooperation. YOu are not in a war, you are in a community."