Constructing Alternatives to Capitalism

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 167

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, more academic literature has been published to examine alternative models of production to capitalism. In particular, the academic book, Envisioning Real Utopias, by Sociologist, Erik Olin Wright, looks into the faults of capitalism and the numerous alternatives to capitalism that have been created to eliminate social and political injustices. In his book, a theoretical framework is provided to measure the desirability, viability, and achievability for potential alternatives to capitalism. Therefore, this research applies the theoretical framework offered by Dr. Wright to examine the desirability, viability, and achievability of the alternative model of production offered by the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico. More specifically, this research will look into the fair trade coffee production of the Zapatista movement as a case study to understand how their fair trade coffee is used as a way to achieve social and political justice within their autonomous territories. Through this research, it will be seen that the Zapatista alternative to capitalism does serve as a desirable and viable alternative to capitalism in terms of supporting their goal in maintaining control of their own autonomous territory. However, this alternative is considered not achievable due to the pressures that their movement faces from violent actors that seek to undermine their movement.