Capitalism is a Waste of Time: Utopia, Malthus and the Ideology of “No A Lternative”

Abstract

This paper argues that a now largely forgotten conversation between anarchist William Godwin and Thomas Malthus, and its legacy, has contemporary relevance for radicals attempting to combat the “no alternative” ideology of permanent scarcity. Malthus’ Essay on Population, which lectured the poor that increased access to the means of subsistence would only exacerbate their poverty, was written as an attack on Godwin's claim that the labor of society, properly deployed, could usher in a society of comfort, cooperation, and leisure. The paper traces the lineage of Godwin's argument through early 19th century British socialists to Marx, before returning to Malthus, who in Principles of Political Economy no longer treats scarcity as an eternal, natural state, but rather as the source of capitalist value, defined as the command over labor, and requiring a project of governance for its ongoing maintenance. Malthus’ strategy for the ongoing production of poverty and its resulting compulsion to labor is the inverse of Godwin's recipe for wealth and leisure, as he suggests that a significant portion of the labor of society be channeled into endeavors which produce nothing for which anyone exchanges their time. Malthus’ influence on Keynes is noted, and the contemporary relevance of this discussion for radical scholarship and politics is explored.