The dual nature of expenditure

between general economics and decolonial ecology in the anthropocene

Abstract

This article is an extension of the presentation given at the II Graduate Meeting in Philosophy at UnB, focusing on the central concept in Georges Bataille's thought: expenditure. Initially, we examine its ontological foundation, based on notions such as excess and expenditure, within a comprehension of the world characterized by overflow. Then, we explore the influence of thermodynamics on the conception of general economy, and its critique as a tool to question utility. We investigate the relationship between expenditure and the concepts of restricted economy and general economy, concluding with an indication of other interpretations of expenditure. Utilizing the idea of decolonial ecology, we highlight how the concept of expenditure can offer new perspectives for social and economic organization, critiquing the logic of production, acquisition, and accumulation and advocating for an economy that transcends the limits of utility.