Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Socialism and ecology are often presented as the 'past' and the 'future' but, as this book makes clear, Marxism and Ecology have much to offer each other. As we prepare to enter the 21st century we need, more than ever, to understand the political and economic roots of environmental problems. This book, written by an international array of scholars, helps us to understand these roots." --Michael Redclift, Ph.D., Wye College, London
"A green Marxism? The notion will seem far-fetched to many. Yet capital is the enemy of nature, and Marxism is the discourse of anti-capitalism. Any real confrontation with the ecological crisis will require the greening of Marxism. This is just what Ted Benton's superb collection, true to its title, sets out to do. This is committed scholarship of the highest order." --Joel Kovel, MD, Alger Hiss Professor of Social Studies, Bard College
Synopsis
When the ecological movement emerged in the 1960s, it warned that continued consumerism and growth would lead to ecological catastrophe. This "green" philosophy represented a challenge to the basic tenets of Marxism, which traditionally ignored issues of ecological sustainability. Tracing the history of the integration of ecological understanding with Marxist philosophy, The Greening of Marxism explores the influence of green politics on Marxism, examines the new politics emerging from these movements, and shows how red\n-\green alliances can transform the political landscape.
Synopsis
When the ecological movement emerged in the 1960s, it warned that continued consumerism and growth would lead to ecological catastrophe. This "green" philosophy represented a challenge to the basic tenets of Marxism, which traditionally ignored issues of ecological sustainability. Tracing the history of the integration of ecological understanding with Marxist philosophy, The Greening of Marxism explores the influence of green politics on Marxism, examines the new politics emerging from these movements, and shows how red\n-\green alliances can transform the political landscape.
About the Author
Ted Benton, Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex, U.K, is the author of numerous books and articles on sociologist theory, and ecological issues, most notably
Natural Relations. He is actively involved in the process of bridging together groupings on the green left in the U.K.
Table of Contents
General Introduction, Ted Benton
I. Marxism For or Against Ecology?
Introduction to Part I, Ted Benton
1. A Critique of Political Ecology, Hans Magnus Enzensberger
2. Marxism and Ecology: More Benedictine Than Franciscan,
Jean-Guy Vaillancourt
3. Marx and Resource Scarcity, Michael Perelman
4. Greening Prometheus: Marxism and Ecology, Kate Soper
II. Toward an Ecological Marxism
Introduction to Part II, Ted Benton
5. Soviet Environmentalism: The Path Not Taken,
Arran Gare
6. Marxism and Ecology, Gunnar Skirbekk
7. Marxism and the Environmental Question: From the Critical Theory of Production to an Environmental Rationality for Sustainable Development, Enrique Leff
8. Marxism and Natural Limits: An Ecological Critique and Reconstruction, Ted Benton
III. The Second Contradiction of Capitalism
Introduction to Part III, Ted Benton
9. The Second Contradiction of Capitalism, James O'Connor
Four Commentaries on "The Second Contradiction":
The Ecological Crisis: A Second Contradiction of Capitalism?, Victor M. Toledo
Capitalism: How Many Contradictions?, Michael A. Lebowitz
The Contradictory Interaction of Capitalism and Nature, Andriana
Vlachou
The Second Contradiction in the Italian Experience, Valentino Parlato and Giovanna Ricoveri
IV. Critical Voices
Introduction to Part IV, Ted Benton
10. Ecofeminism and Ecosocialism: Dilemmas of Essentialism and
Materialism, Mary Mellor
Commentary on "Ecofeminism and Ecosocialism,"
Kate Soper
11. Socialism and Ecocentrism: Toward a New Synthesis, Robyn Eckersley