Neoextractivism.... or the same old plundering?

Abstract

Based on the theories and contributions made by researchers on the topic of the extractive industry, this article attempts to answer the following questions: What is extractivism? Is it a new process of capitalist accumulation or does it have a colonial background? Are there substantial differences in government approach strategies between the left and the right? What is the outlook for the region? How do the social sciences respond to this phenomenon? Do alternatives exist to the extractive industry? We attempt to answer these questions and generate many more on the subject to better understand and contribute to a current and open discussion in our countries and around the world. Our proposal is that the possibility exists that we are not necessarily facing a new or different phenomenon, but rather one with deep historical roots and complex, current implications. Critical action and social resistance to the prevailing extractivism have given rise to a school of thought for which the term “post-extractivism” has been coined. What does it consist of and what does it propose?