Dinesh Joseph Wadiwel, Animals and Capital, (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2023), 328.

Animal and Capital by Dinesh Joseph Wadiwel was published by Edinburgh University Press in 2023. The book consists of 328 pages. Wadiwel criticizes capitalism and its exploitation of animal bodies, referencing Karl Marx extensively.

The first chapter, "Value," and the second chapter, "Material," discuss the three values that animals in the food industries have under capitalism: they are seen as raw materials, transformed into consumption commodities, and used as laborers. The third chapter, "Commodity," sheds light on the violence involved in producing these commodities, which consumers often overlook, focusing only on the immediate use value of the product. The fourth chapter, "Labor," examines how animals are working subjects, but the form of labor they perform resembles a form of slavery. This chapter draws parallels between animals and humans forced to work, emphasizing that life and well-being are not prioritized under capitalism, with production ends taking precedence. The fifth chapter, "Circulation," highlights the crucial role of constant product movement for the survival of Capital. Animals are selectively bred to increase relative surplus value, contributing to this circulation. The following chapter, "Resistance," explores the question of whether fish can resist and possess sentience, prompting us to consider resistance as a form of political agency not based on anthropocentric capability. The final chapter, "Dreams," summarizes the main points from the previous chapters into bullet points and elaborates on them in greater detail. 

This book is essential for scholars in animal studies, or anyone interested in raising awareness of capitalism's mistreatment of both humans and non-human animals. I found the writings to be fascinating. Even though I consider myself to be informed in animal studies in a general sense, "Animals and Capital" made me look at the exploitative system that governs our world with a clearer lens.

I want to conclude this review by sharing one of my favourite quotes that encapsulates this entire wonderful book: "Animals are not mere objects; however, the reality is that they are treated as such on the balance sheets of global economies.”