Charity and capitalism

Abstract

This chapter considers the nature of charity in capitalist society and presents an in-depth conceptualization of the form and structure of charitable food providers and the spaces they use to address food insecurity through a Marxist political economy approach. The responses to food insecurity in Canada and the UK are reflective of capitalist charity, a paradoxical social relation which is riven with antagonisms and although responding to need, fails to address the structural foundations of food insecurity. Charitable food providers address the symptoms of food insecurity and not the root cause, they are performative in many ways – addressing immediate need, responding in generous and altruistic ways, however in doing so they are performing the role of the state, which has outsourced its responsibilities and contributed to the creation and perpetuation of capitalist charity. The conceptual framework is unpacked in relation to the growth of emergency food aid providers in Canada and the UK, examining the role of the state, the welfare state, corporations, corporate social responsibility, and civil society. Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are also outlined, as an element of the food insecurity narrative.

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.56687/9781447370710-007

Repository URI

https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/351899/