Branches of Ecocriticism: EcoMarxism
Branches of Ecocriticism: EcoMarxism
Eco-Marxism looks at the intersection between ecocritical concepts and Marxist theory. It is concerned primarily with social class and how that affects one's relationship to the environment. In its simplest form, eco-Marxism seeks to determine and unpack the relationship between ecological concerns and Marxist theory. It looks at the use and production of resources (both natural and manufactured) and how that use and production impacts people of different social classes. The prevailing ideology is that those in power, who make up the smallest population, use most of the resources and are the most pollutant citizens of the Earth, while those in poverty and underdeveloped areas are left with the consequences of that pollution. Further concerns are that when ecologically sound practices are developed, they will be reserved for the wealthy who created the polluted circumstances in the first place.
Research and Assumptions
Concerned with the use of resources, both in the industrial and ecological world. Argues that the greed of those in power will supersede the interests of those beneath them and take advantage of the Earth and its resources in their pursuit of wealth regardless of the ecological impact. "Change the political structure of society so that production to meet real needs replaces production for the accumulation of wealth, it is argued, and the ecological problem of limits produced by capital's structural need for perpetual growth will disappear" (Garrard 28). Believe that ecological problems can't be separated from problems such as dismal housing efforts and lack of drinkable water (29).
Essentially, eco-Marxists believe that along with exploiting the proletariat worker (which is portrayed as being more closely tied to savage nature), the bourgeoisie also exploits the land. An eco-Marxist would argue that taking production and use of land back to needs rather than wealth would help alleviate the stresses on the Earth as well as on the worker tasked with mining those natural resources for the wealth of the upper class. Historically speaking, the smallest population of wealthy people consume an overwhelming majority of the world's energy. An eco-Marxist would argue that rather than focusing on individual change and advocacy (which is still helpful), what really needs to happen in order for the Earth to be more sustainably cared for is for the wealthy to make serious, lasting cuts to their production and energy consumption.
Major Positions include
- The wealthy have overwhelming control of the Earth's resources.
- The wealthy continue to exploit those resources to grow their own wealth, regardless of its impact on the poor or future generations.
- The only way to make lasting change to the Earth and its use of resources is for the wealthy to make serious changes to their lifestyles and resource usage and for the economy to return to a more basic structure in which need is prioritized over wealth.
Intersections with Other Disciplines
This discipline borrows a great deal from the method of ecofeminism. Both disciplines are tied heavily to ideas of power - who has it, who doesn't, how does that power or lack thereof affect them? They also demonstrate the ways that certain social groups are tied more firmly to nature, a tie that is used by those with power to demonstrate their inferiority. With ecofeminism, that social group is women. With eco-Marxism, that social group is the poor and disadvantaged.
An eco-Marxist would also argue that deep ecologists and other more philosophical thinkers working in ecocriticism have lost a grounding in reality and the social class and structures that create disparity and pollution in the first place (Garrard 28).
Karl Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historican, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. Marx's involvement with ecomarxism is indirect, as ecomarxism emerged as a strand of Marxist theory that incorporates ecological concerns into the analysis of capitalism.
Mikhail Bakunin was a Russian revolutionary anarchist and a key figure in the development of anarchist theory. His involvement with ecomarxism is indirect, as he predates theemergence of eocmarxism as a distinct theoretical framework. However, his ideas on anarchism and his critique of both capitalism and authoritatian socialism have influenced later developments in ecological thought, include ecomarxism.