12/17/2016 JohnBellamyFoster'sgroundbreaking"Marx'sEcology"attemptstoprovideaphilosophicalbasisforecosocialismbytyingittomaterialism,alargely

REVIEW

"Marx'sEcology:MaterialismandNature"byJohnBellamyFoster

MonthlyReview,2000,$18.00

Whenthemodernecologymovementfirstappeared,mostselfdescribedMarxiststendedtoviewitthroughtheprismoftheFrankfurt
School.Fromthisperspective,industrialsocietywasthecauseofpollutionandotherenvironmentalproblems.Onlybypayingnature
itsproperrespectcouldwereestablishanaturalbalanceandsavetheplanet.Withoutthischangeofheart,transformingclassrelations
wouldaccomplishlittleasindicatedbypoisonedrivers,denudedforestsandunsafenuclearreactorsintheSovietUnion.

JoelKovelspokeformanyinthisbroadlydefinedcurrentwhenhewrote,"Specifically,thereisnolanguagewithinMarxismbeyond
afewambiguousandsketchybeginningsthatdirectlyaddressestheravagingofnatureorexpressesthecarefornaturewhich
motivatespeopleMarxistornottobecomeengagedinecologicalstruggle."("Capitalism,NatureandSocialism",Dec.1995).He
urged"acalltoopenthequestionofspiritualityinMarxism,sincespirit,asamotionwithinbeing,isattheproperlevelofabstraction
fordialecticalappropriation."

In"Marx'sEcology,"JohnBellamyFosterdefiesconventionalgreenthinkingbyraisingthebannerofmaterialismratherthan
spiritualityinthefighttosavetheplanetandhumanityfromecologicalruin.Inadditiontorestoringmaterialismtoitsproperplace,
FosteralsoshowsthatecologicalquestionswerecentralnotonlytoMarx,butotherMarxistssuchasBebelandBukharin.By
restoringthislosttradition,FosterhopestocreateanewbasisforecosocialismgroundedinMarxistscienceratherthanmysticism.

Forobviousreasons,materialismhastakenabackseatintheWesternMarxisttradition,fromLukacstotheFrankfurtSchool.This
schoolofthoughtemphasizedahistoricalmaterialismthatlargelybracketedoutnature,whileseeingworkslikeEngels'"Dialectics
ofNature"aspavingthewayforStalinistdogmainphilosophyandthephysicalsciences.

FosterconfessesthatanearlygroundinginaHegelianinfluencedMarxismblockedhisownpathtoecologicalmaterialism.
Ironically,itwasnotafellowacademicwhosuggestedanalternativeinterpretationofMarx,butanolderstudentnamedIraShapiro
whohadbeenafarmeratonetimeinhisvariedcareer.HeurgedFosterto"lookatthis"referringtosectionsinMarxthatdealtwith
theproblemsofsoilnutrients.Lateron,CharlesHunt,afriendofFoster'sandaparttimeprofessorandbeekeeper,urgedhimtotakea
secondlookat"DialecticsofNature."

Inthefirstofaseriesofprovocativequestionsappearinginhisintroduction,Fosterasks,"WhydidMarxwritehisdoctoralthesison
theancientatomists?"Likethesledin"CitizenKane,"thisservesasacluetoMarx'slifelongintellectualdevelopmentandsupports
thepowerfulconclusionofFoster'sbook.

AlthoughmoststudentsofMarxareawareofmaterialistthoughtinsuchearlyworksasthe1845"ThesesonFeuerbach,"Foster
arguesconvincinglythatmaterialismmadeitsdebutinMarx'sdoctoraldissertationonthe"DifferenceBetweentheDemocriteanand
EpicureanPhilosophyofNature,"writtenfouryearsearlier.AccordingtoFoster,thestandardexplanationforthedissertationisthat
MarxsawEpicurusasakindredrebelspirit.ThisEpicurussoughttooverthrowthetotalizingphilosophyofAristotle,justasthepost
HegeliansincludingtheyoungMarxroseupagainstHegel.Whatismissinghereistheelementofmaterialism,whichdrewMarx
toEpicurusinthefirstplace.MarxidentifiedwiththeEnlightenment,forwhichEpicurusservesasaforerunnertotheradical
democratsofthe17thand18thcentury.Thematerialismtheyallsharedwascrucialtoanattackonthestatusquo,ancientormodern.

TheGreekmaterialists,especiallyEpicurus,areimportanttoMarxbecausetheyrepresentthefirstsystematicoppositiontoidealist
andessentialistthought.Justasimportantly,EpicurusinparticularanticipatesthescientificrevolutionoftheEnlightenment.His
dictathat"Nothingisevercreatedbydivinepoweroutofnothing"and"nature...neverreducesanythingtonothing"arein
harmonywithwhatwenowknowas"theprincipleofconservation."FosteralsonotesthatLucretius,anothermaterialistofthe
classicalera,"alludedtoairpollutionduetomining,tothelesseningofharveststhroughthedegradationofsoil,andtothe
disappearanceoftheforestsaswellasarguingthathumanbeingswerenotradicallydifferentfromanimals."

Intheirearlywritings,MarxandEngelswedthematerialismoftheEnlightenmenttoapoliticalcritiqueofthecapitalistsystem,
particularlytargetingideologuessuchasMalthus.Takingaimathisfalsepiety,the1844"OutlinesofaCritiqueofPolitical
Economy"challengesprivateproperty,especiallyintheland,assertingthat:

"Tomakeearthanobjectofhucksteringtheearthwhichisouroneandall,thefirstconditionofourexistencewasthelaststepin
makingoneselfanobjectofhuckstering.Itwasandistothisverydayanimmortalityofselfalienation.Andtheoriginal
appropriationthemonopolizationoftheearthbyafew,theexclusionoftherestfromthatwhichistheconditionoftheirlifeyields
nothinginimmoralitytothesubsequenthucksteringoftheearth."

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Marx'smaterialistconceptionofhistoryandnaturewasfirstofallabreakwithFeuerbach,whosematerialismwasofacontemplative
nature.WhileMarxfirstoutlinedhisviewsinthe"ThesesonFeuerbach,"hedevelopedtheminamoresystematicfashionina"The
GermanIdeology."Foster'strainedeyepermitshimtobringaneglectedthemeinthe1846classicintotheforeground.

AccordingtoFoster,geologyandgeographyarekeyelementsinthematerialistconceptionofhistorydefinedin"TheGerman
Ideology."Withoutbringingthemintoplay,wecannotproperlyunderstandhowindustryandnatureevolve.Marxhadstudied
geologicalscienceattheTriergymnasiumunderJohannSteinenger,afollowerofAbrahamGottlobWerner,consideredthe"fatherof
historicalgeology."BeforeWerner,geologistssimplycategorizedrocksonthebasisoflocationorconstituentminerals.Werner
speculatedonthelongtermoriginsofgeologicalsuccession.Heemphasizedtheneedtoseethedevelopmentoftheearthfrom
originsof"perhapsa1,000,000years."

ForMarxthisconstitutedarealbreakthrough.Seeingtheplanet'shistoryintermsofgeologicalepochswasnecessaryforthe
developmentofamaterialistontology.Inbreakingwiththetheologicalandessentialistunderpinningsofmuchof19thcentury
thought,Marxdrewsupportespeciallyfromthenotionof'generatioaequivoca,'or'spontaneousgeneration,'thatwascentralto
Werner'stheories.Inthisrespect,Fosterargues,MarxremainedtruetoEpicurus'view,relatedbyLucretius,that:"Thenameofmother
hasrightlybeenbestowedontheearth,sinceoutoftheeartheverythingisborn."

Inembracingsuchanapproach,Marxemergesasanearly"evolutionist"intheongoingbattleagainst"creationism"stillbeingfought
today.Furthermore,itwouldmakehimanearlyallyofmodernenvironmentalistsforwhomthiskindofconnectionwiththeearthis
alsoimportant.FosterinvokesRachelCarson:"Theconditionsontheyoungearthproducedlifelifethenatoncemodifiedthe
conditionoftheearth,sothatthissingleextraordinaryactofspontaneousgenerationcouldnotberepeated."("SilentSpring")

GivenMarx'saffinityforWerner'stheories,itwouldfollowthatDarwinwouldalsofactorheavilyinMarx'scontinuing
investigationsintonature,includinghomosapiens.KeytoDarwiniantheory,accordingtoFoster,was"thefactthatenvironments
couldchangeradically,thusmakinganorganismthatwaspreviouslysuperblyadaptedtoitsenvironment,suchasthewooly
mammoth,nolongersowelladapted(actuallydrivingitintoextinction),initselfcontradictedanysimplenotionofprogression."

MarxdevelopedhisresponsetoDarwin'stheoryofnaturalselectionbetween1859and1867,dateswhichcoincidewiththe
appearanceof"TheOriginofSpecies"andVolumeOneofCapitalrespectively.Marx'senthusiasmforDarwinisamatterofrecord.In
January1860,hewroteLassallethat"Darwin'sworkismostimportantandsuitsmypurposeinthatitprovidesabasisinnatural
scienceforthehistoricalclassstruggle."LessclearistheextenttowhichDarwiniantheoryactuallymadeitspresencefeltinMarx's
writings.

FosterbelievesthattheanswertothisquestionisinVolumeOneofCapitalwhereinfootnotesMarxalludestotheconnection
between"naturaltechnology"atworkinthenaturalevolutionofplantsandanimalsandthedevelopmentofhumantechnologyin
theprocessofhumanhistory.Engelsdevelopedtheseideasintheessay"ThePartPlayedbyLabourintheTransitionfromtheApeto
Man."Notonlydidthisessaymaketheconnectionbetweennaturalselectioninbothnatureandsocietyexplicit,italsowarned
abouttheconsequencesofupsettingthebalancebetweenthem.

DarwinismofcoursehashadatroubledrelationshiptosocialismthatFosteracknowledges.AMalthusiancasttoDarwin'sthought
helpedtospawnaSocialDarwinismthatmadethe"survivalofthefittest"aparadigmforunderstandingtherelentlessmarchfrom
"savagery"to"civilization."Engelsrecognizedthisproblemandwarnedthatattemptstoextrapolate"thesametheoriesfromorganic
naturetohistory,andthenclaimtohaveprovedtheirvalidityaseternallawsofhistory"werewrong.

Unfortunately,despitethebestofintentions,thismistakehascroppedupinMarxistthoughtrepeatedly.Perhapsnootherfigure
symbolizesthisuneasyrelationshipmoredramaticallythanLewisHenryMorgan,whofiguredprominentlyasaninspirationforboth
the"EthnologicalNotebooks"ofMarxandEngels'"OriginsoftheFamily,PrivatePropertyandtheState."

WhilemostMarxistsareawareofthehighregardpaidtotheIroquoisbyMorgan,thereisanothermoretroublingside.Morgan's
materialistconceptionofsocialevolutionincludedbiologicaldeterminantsthatoftenledhimtoracistconclusions.Concludingthat
certaincommonculturalcharacteristicsofvariousIndiantribeswereproofofacommonracialmakeup,Morgansurmisedthat
behavioraldifferencesbetweenEuropeansandIndianscouldbeexplainedbyblood.In"SystemsofConsanguinity,"Morganwrites:

"TheIndianandEuropeanareatoppositepolesintheirphysiologicalconditions.Intheformerthereisverylittleanimalpassion,
whichwiththelatteritissuperabundant.ApurebloodedIndianhasverylittleanimalpassion,butinthehalfblooditissensibly
augmentedandwhenthesecondgenerationisreachedwithacrossgivingthreefourthswhiteblood,itbecomeexcessiveandtends
toindiscriminatelicentiousness."

Thustheanswerto"improving"theIndian'ssituationinvolvedbreedinghimwithnonIndians.RobertE.Biederwrotein"Science
EncounterstheIndian"that"AlthoughmostsocalledIndianreformersofthedaysteeredawayfromsuggestingmiscegenationasa
meansof'improving'theIndian,Morganfeltthatitheldacertainutilitarianvalue."Morganbelievedthatalthoughahalfblood
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Indianwasinferiortoapurebloodbothphysicallyandmentally,amixtureof3partswhitebloodto1partIndianmightbejustwhat
wasneededtoshowthatinMorgan'swords"Indianbloodcanbetakenupwithoutphysicalorintellectualdetriment."("Systemsof
Sanguinity")

Althoughitwouldimposeanimpossibleburdenon"Marx'sEcology"toexpectFostertodealwiththesetroubledlegacy,westill
mustrecognizethattheproperrelationshipbetweenscientificsocialismandindigenouspeopleshasyettobedefinedinitsfull
complexity.BothKautskyandPlekhanovreliedheavilyonSocialDarwinistsourcesintheirapproachtosuchpeoples.Worse,the
generalrelianceona"stages"conceptionofsocialdevelopmentundoubtedlyledtotheSandinistas'patronizingattitudetowardthe
MiskitoIndiansorthefailureoftheFARCandELNinColombiatorespectindigenoussovereignty.

ByrestoringMarx'smaterialismtoitsproperplace,"Marx'sEcology"providesatheoreticalfoundationforfurtherexplorationsin
ecosocialism.Onceweunderstandtheproperconnectionbetweennatureandsociety,wecanbegintoacttoconfrontthemajor
problemsfacinghumanity,fromglobalwarmingtodiminishingfreshwatersupplies.Inthefinalchapter,Fostercitesanumberof
Marxistthinkerswhobelongtothematerialisttradition.Theirexamplescanhelptoinspireanewgenerationofecologicallyminded
socialists.

FosterpresentsanunfamiliarsideofBukharin.His"PhilosophicalArabesques,"onlymadeavailablein1992,revealsasophisticated
dialecticalmaterialistwhogroundshisanalysisofsocietyinecology.Bukharinwritesofthe"earth'satmosphere,fullofinfinitely
variedlife,fromthesmallestmicroorganismsinwater,onlandandintheair,tohumanbeings.Manypeopledonotimaginethevast
richnessoftheseforms,ortheirdirectparticipationinthephysicalandchemicalprocessesofnature."

AsoneofthefoundersofGermanSocialDemocracy,AugustBebelnotonlyspokewithsomeauthorityinthe1884"WomanUnder
Socialism,"healsoseemedtobeanticipatingthedireconsequencesexperiencedtodayinthewakeofclearcutting:

"ThemadsacrificeoftheappreciabledeteriorationofclimateanddeclineinthefertilityofthesoilintheprovincesofPrussianand
Pomerania,inSyria,ItalyandFrance,andSpain.Frequentinundationsaretheconsequenceofstrippinghighgroundoftrees.The
inundationsoftheRhineandVistulaarechieflyattributedtothedevastationofforestlandinSwitzerlandandPoland."

Finally,inaninstancethatseemstoaddressJoelKovel'scomplaintaboutthelackofspiritualityinMarxismandapossible
alternativetoLewisHenryMorgan'sobsessionwith"improvement,",wehavetheexampleofRosaLuxemburgwhowrotefrom
prisoninMay,1917:

"WhatamIreading?Forthemostpart,naturalscience:geographyofplantsandanimals.OnlyyesterdayIreadwhythewarblersare
disappearingfromGermany.Increasinglysystematicforestry,gardeningandagricultureare,stepbystepdestroyingallnatural
nestingandbreedingplaces:hollowtrees,fallowland,thicketsofshrubs,witheredleavesonthegardengrounds.Itpainedmeso
whenIreadthat.Notbecauseofthesongtheysingforpeople,butratheritwasthepictureofthesilent,irresistibleextinctionofthese
defenselesslittlecreatureswhichhurtmetothepointthatIhadtocry.ItremindedmeofaRussianbookwhichIreadwhilestillin
Zurich,abookbyProfessorSieberabouttheravageoftheredskinsinNorthAmerica.Inexactlythesameway,stepbystep,theyhave
beenpushedfromtheirlandbycivilizedmenandabandonedtoperishsilentlyandcruelly."

http://www.columbia.edu/~lnp3/mydocs/ecology/Foster_Marx_Ecology.htm

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