Now Reading
Climate Crisis: The Dutch Conquest Of Banda Islands

Climate Crisis: The Dutch Conquest Of Banda Islands

Dutch Conquest Of Banda Islands Sowed Seeds Of Climate Crisis

The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables For A Planet in Crisis 

By Amitav Ghosh


 

Amitav Ghosh seems like to suggest that the current climate crises have been in existence for at least four hundred year as he discovers the seeds of climatic disaster in the 1621 massacre of Banda islanders by soldiers of the Dutch East India Company. The subsequent seizure of the world’s entire supply of once-lucrative nutmeg set in motion the colonial expansionist project of terraforming, which subjected natives to forms of violence that included biological and ecological disruptions, to suit the lifestyles across another continent. The human history has been a story of exploitation, and this has triggered the non-human forces that challenge the existence all living creatures. 

 

Since then, these genocidal events are a constant reminder of their existence. Native peoples are always the victims of resource appropriation. In modernity, genocide and ecology are seen as instruments serving a higher purpose. The injustices it causes are so obvious and quotidian that they often lose the ability to enrage. ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse’ is a powerful polemic reminder of all that has gone wrong, and remains uncorrected both in letter and spirit. 

 

Ghosh makes the argument that colonial exploitation is linked to global warming. He connects historical dots to show that under the neoliberal guise, the four centuries of terraforming have been universally accepted and embraced by global elites. It is the foundation of capitalism today, as evidenced in one per cent holding 99 percent of global resources. We don’t realize, however, how modern economics was built on the foundations colonialism, genocide, and organised violence. And economics determines how the world is viewed.  

Author Amitav Ghosh

The author uses parables to show that the patterns of omnicide are possible even if you don’t include politics, history, and culture. Surprising facts are revealed on a broad canvas that reveal the true nature events that have, through processes that indoctrinated, led to the formation of thought that supports a civilisation that converts land into property and uses mechanical devices to master nature. Ghosh raises serious concerns about the overlap of dominant thought and the credentialised literature which legitimizes it

 

The Nutmeg’s Curse helps the reader dive deep into the historical processes which counted the native as ‘brute’ but, on the sly, promoted ‘brutal’ practices to sustain global hierarchies of power. The ‘military-industrial complex’ has come to symbolise this brutal power, acting like a protective outer shell that allows capitalism to function. The huge amounts of military-related carbon emissions are not included in global climate negotiations. Furthermore, the expansion of military power in China, India, Saudi Arabia and Turkey is not seen to be an ecologically destructive endeavor because the geopolitical struggle between the two countries for dominance remains high on the agenda. 

 

As public response to climate change is caught between the polarities of political manoeuvring and overt activism — under the constant gaze of the military-industrial complex — there is an urgent need to question the hubris of motivated reasoning favouring geopolitical dominance. ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse’ offers a sharp critic of modernity, questioning the configured western discourse that highlights the virtues of the economic systems without addressing its structural inequities. Here is where parables come in, giving voice to the stories which will bring life back to all beings. As the possibility of planetary catastrophe draws near, it is imperative to restore non-human voices into the narrative. 

 

This book is a great read for anyone interested in a more thorough history of climate change. However, it lacks clarity and continuity to convey its core message. This ambitious undertaking is full of fascinating information. It covers historical events, startling facts and political hoodwinking as well as climate economics that are heading towards an uncertain future. Non-fiction story-telling is a difficult task for even an experienced writer like Ghosh. His unending quest to save the planet should inspire kindness, appreciation, and gratitude. 

 

Although the narrative is tangential, it is undoubtedly a refreshing addition in the otherwise monotonous literature on climate change, that continues to seek technological solutions for the planetary crises. Ghosh warns readers to carefully consider every action proposed to avoid the looming crises. Technology and politics can be destabilizing and perverting even the most deeply-rooted conceptions about the natural world. This is perhaps best illustrated by contemporary India. 

 
(Sudhirendar is an independent writer and researcher. Outlook Magazine’s views may not reflect those expressed in this article.

View Comments (0)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.