Reclaiming glocal: Toward a post-extractivist, sovereign Chile beyond green growth

Abstract

Global trade has long enabled countries in the Global North to appropriate resources from the Global South, perpetuating a system of ecologically unequal exchange. In Latin America, this exploitation has been enforced through institutions like the IMF and World Bank, embedding structural dependence and extractivism. Today, the rise of "green growth"—a last-ditch effort to sustain capitalism amid the current socioecological polycrisis—has repackaged old extractivist models under a new banner, deepening socioecological damage in resource-rich countries like Chile. I critically examine Chile’s role as a supplier of green transition materials (copper, lithium, and green hydrogen), arguing that the green growth paradigm perpetuates colonial trade patterns. Using post-extractivist frameworks and Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), I explore alternative economic visions centered on sovereignty and well-being. By outlining specific policy pathways and the challenges of such a transition, I aim to contribute to debates on decolonial transitions and post-capitalist futures in Latin America.