Down with capitalism
Peter Somerville’s letter (‘More nuance needed’, NI 559) expressed dissatisfaction with your distinction between ‘authoritarian regimes’ and ‘liberal democracies’ (Editorial, NI 558) as a way of describing forms of government. He regards this as an oversimplistic approach and suggests rather that states can be divided into seven different types according to their political complexion. While I can see that the nuances he outlines may be useful for certain purposes, what is far more significant – at least for those looking forward to large-scale social change – is not what divides countries according to type of regime but rather the overarching economic system they are all part of: capitalism. And this is the case whether they are run along totalitarian lines, via liberal democracy (where real democracy is inevitably limited), or anything in between. It’s that economic system as a whole that needs to be got rid of via majority global consciousness and democratic political action and replaced by a society of common ownership, free access to all goods and services and production solely for need.
Keeping cats in, down under
Re: Our Agony Uncle’s response to Catty of Chesterfield (NI 559).
1 While debates about pet cats in the UK often focus on balance, the Australian reality is far more severe. Here, cats owned, stray and feral, are a recognized threat, contributing to the decline and extinction of native species that evolved without feline predators. Even well-fed pet cats hunt, and their impacts extend beyond suburbs into regional and remote landscapes.
Importantly, regulation is already shifting. Councils in Victoria have introduced 24-hour or overnight cat-containment orders, and the City of Melbourne has adopted stricter controls following community consultation. Ethical cat ownership need not diminish cats’ lives. Measures such as compulsory de-sexing, registration, dusk-to-dawn containment, leash walking, enclosed ‘cat rooms’ and improved collar deterrents allow cats to thrive while protecting wildlife. In Australia, keeping cats contained is not a lifestyle preference; it is an ethical obligation grounded in place and evidence.
2 Your Agony Uncle is definitely British. If they were Australian they would be aware that many councils actually require owners here to contain their pets, with hefty fines applying where cats are found roaming.
Pet cats, despite their valued role as companion animals, are a major threat to wildlife. Collectively, roaming cats kill 546 million animals per year in Australia.
Indoor cats can be happy and exercised too. Keeping cats inside helps protect them from injury and disease, reduces expensive vet bills and prolongs their lifespan. It’s a myth that a good diet or feeding a cat more meat will prevent hunting: even cats that aren’t hungry will hunt.
Various devices, such as bells on collars, are commercially marketed with the promise of preventing hunting. While some of these items may reduce the rate of successful kills, they don’t prevent hunting altogether. These devices also don’t prevent cats from disturbing wildlife, which is also a serious problem.
Keeping your cat securely contained, either inside or in a cat run, for 24 hours a day is the only way to prevent it from killing wildlife. Even if you keep it in at night, it can still hunt birds and lizards by day. Containment needs to be 24 hours per day.
Correction
In the article ‘Deadly Precedent’ (Currents, NI 559) Equality Now’s Dariana Gryaznova was incorrectly quoted as saying ‘Turkistan’. The correct reference was ‘Tajikistan’.
Why I...
...created Breadshare.
I’ve been cooking and baking (at least as a sous chef and involved observer) ever since I could walk, and spent much of my life developing friendships and community around a deep love for well-sourced, well-made food and a belief in our ability to make it available to everyone. Breadshare is my project that I founded last year in my area of Brooklyn. It functions like a farmshare, co-op style, to provide handmade bread and everyday staples to our neighbours at a fair price. We deliver two boxes a month to all members in an effort to provide an affordable alternative to outrageously priced sourdoughs – the more people sign up, the cheaper it gets, and the more families experience the joy of fresh bread.
