Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Box 7.2 Karl Marx
Karl Marx is one of the most influential
philosophers of the nineteenth century.
His ideas not only transformed philo-
sophical thought but also lay the
foundations for the formation of socialist
state systems (such as the Soviet Union)
in the twentieth century. Marx's most
influential works were the
Communist
Manifesto (which he co-authored
with Friedrich Engels in 1848) and his
magnum opus, Das Capital: A Critique of
Political Economy (the first volume of
which was published in 1867). Marx's
work provided a systematic critique of
evolving forms of capitalist society. At
the heart of Marx's critique was his
analysis of the ways in which those who
owned the means of production (the
bourgeoisie) exploited waged labour
(the working class) in order to ensure the
expansion of profits. Marx's work also
has important implications for how we
understanding evolving social relations
with the environment under capitalism.
The central environmental message of
Marx's work is that capitalism leads to
the subordination of environmental
values to those of commercial interest (see Smith, 1984: 114). A central aspect of Marx's work
concerns the impact he recognized that the formation of private property has on human-environment
relations. While the formation of property enables the profit-making processes associated with
capitalism to proceed, it has two impacts on socio-environmental relations. First, it enables what
were once commonly shared environmental resources to be converted into commodities that can
be exploited by the owners of land. Second, it tends to disconnect local communities from the land
they once shared and depended upon for their survival. As these local communities increasingly
sought work in the industrial sectors of expanding cities, they became alienated from the natural
world with which they were once so familiar (see Smith, 1984: 116).
Key readings
Burkett, P. (1999) Marx and Nature: A Red Green Perspective, Macmillan, London
Harvey, D. (1996) Justice, Nature and the Geography of Difference, Blackwell, Oxford
Wheen, F. (1999) Karl Marx, Fourth Estate, London
