Nishnabeg Capitalism, Extractivism and Multiculturalism

What is extractivism?

A resource-driven mentality that treats land, life, and nature as commodities for short-term gain.

What does extractivism prioritize?

Profit and accumulation over sustainability, relationships, and long-term consequences.

How does extractivism view nature?

As resources to be used, not living systems with moral value.

What kind of thinking is extractivism rooted in?

Colonial thinking.

Key beliefs behind the extractivist mentality

Exceptionalism, privilege, and the belief that only “my people” matter.

Why is extractivism anti-ecological?

It resists reform and treats extraction as inevitable and justified.

What is disenchantment?

A defining feature of modernity where the world loses “magic” and meaning.

How does disenchantment change how we see nature?

Trees become lumber, land becomes data, nature becomes chemicals.

How does disenchantment change how we see humans?

Humans are reduced to bodies, not souls.

What does disenchantment remove besides superstition?

Spirituality, responsibility, and relational ethics.

How does disenchantment enable extractivism?

It disconnects humans from moral responsibility toward the land.

What is the goal of exploitative capitalism?

Resource accumulation.

What does exploitative capitalism ignore?

Cultural context, relationships to land, and long-term impacts.

What kind of dissonance does capitalism create?

A disconnect between use and meaning.

What matters most in exploitative capitalism?

What resources are used for, not whether they should be used.

What is reciprocity?

A relationship-based alternative to extractivism.

Key features of reciprocity

Long-term thinking, respect, balance, community focus.

Does reciprocity deny the existence of resources?

No, it emphasizes balance rather than accumulation.

What happened when treaties were introduced?

Creation was turned into “resources.”

Why is calling creation “resources” harmful?

It enables exploitation and reflects colonial thinking.

Did Indigenous peoples lack the ability to develop capitalism?

No, capitalism was intentionally rejected on ethical grounds.

What did the fur trade introduce?

Money, not Indigenous values.

Is there a concept of capital in Nishnaabeg thought?

No.

What replaces capital in Nishnaabeg society?

Relationships, clans, relatives, treaty partners.

How is wealth measured in Nishnaabeg thought?

By relationships, not accumulation.

How is excess viewed in Nishnaabeg teachings?

As dangerous and destabilizing.

What do Nishnaabeg stories warn against?

Over-hunting and over-accumulation.

What lesson comes from the Deer Clan story?

Excess leads to ecological and social imbalance.

What kind of society is Nishnaabeg society?

A society of makers.

What did families traditionally produce?

Food, clothing, and homes.

What does making support?

Freedom, self-determination, and sustainability.

Why is consumption not freedom?

It creates dependency and instability.

Is Indigenous poverty natural?

Is Indigenous poverty natural?

What causes Indigenous poverty?

Extractivism and settler colonialism.

Why are many “solutions” harmful?

They ignore root causes and reinforce colonial power.

What is grounded normativity?

A system of norms rooted in land, relationships, history, and place.

How is land viewed in grounded normativity?

As alive and relational.

What are rivers considered?

Relatives.

How does reciprocity function as grounded normativity?

It shapes responsibility, relationships, and worldview.

What happens when extraction exceeds limits?

Disappearance and collapse.

Are waste and famine natural?

No, they are human-made.

Why did Indigenous peoples reject capitalism?

They understood its consequences and chose balance instead.

What does multiculturalism promise?

Equality and inclusion.

How is multiculturalism often misused?

To deflect blame from structural inequality.

What do immigration critiques often ignore?

Systemic pressures and incentives.

What does extractivism prioritize over life?

Profit.

What does Nishnaabeg thought prioritize?

Relationship, balance, and responsibility.

What is required for true justice?

Recognizing who is included, who is excluded, and why.