Overview

We are in the midst of a meta-crisis. Ecological collapse, climate change, species extinction, increasing pandemics, spiking inequality, inhumane poverty, racialized hierarchies and spiritual ennui are the outcomes of systems of domination, exploitation and separation. This has culminated into our current operating system: neoliberal capitalism. For every dollar of new economic growth, about 93 cents ends up in the hands of the top 1%. And only about 5 cents up in the hands of the world’s majority - 60% of humanity. Therefore, by definition, wealth creation actively creates inequality and poverty. Every dollar of wealth created also heats up our planet as we have an extractives-based, fossil fuel economy. Therefore, by definition, capitalism also creates climate change. Also, because capitalism started in Europe, descendents of Europeans had at least a two century head start on acquiring capital, largely through what historian and geographer David Harvey calls “accumulation by dispossession” - imperialism, slavery, genocide, land theft, etc. Therefore, white supremacy is embedded within the capitalist system. Within the context of the existing operating system, no amount of reform, whether it be green investment or otherwise, can change the structure and trajectory of this self-terminating, exponential function. This meta-crisis is not something outside of us. We are all complicit, to various degrees, in perpetuating and benefitting from the dominant culture. TRC focuses on philanthropy as it has the potential to play a critical role in rebalancing wealth, power and historical injustices. Yet all too often philanthropy perpetuates and exacerbates the current system through undemocratic and unaccountable systems, by increasing endowments through existing market mechanisms, and its lack of imagination to support a necessary paradigm shift.