Natural Causes: Essays in Ecological Marxism

by James O'Connor

Economic growth since the Industrial Revolution has been achieved at great cost both to the natural environment and to the autonomy of communities. What can a Marxist perspective contribute to understanding this disturbing legacy, and mitigating its impact on future generations? Renowned social theorist James O'Connor shows how the policies and imperatives of business and government influence--and are influenced by--environmental and social change. Probing the relationship between economy, nature, and society, O'Connor argues that environmental and social crises pose a growing threat to capitalism itself. These illuminating essays and case studies demonstrate the power of ecological Marxist analysis for understanding our diverse environmental and social history, for grounding economic behavior in the real world, and for formulating and evaluating new political strategies.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Environment, Economics, Ecology

350 pages, Paperback

First published December 19, 1997

Reviews

[Shozee Rip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth a second read. Heavy academic text drawing from the prominent theory and discourse relative to economics - capital, nature, and social - and ecology.
Anyone interested in the why or why not of our current economic system, and or those who wish to gain insight to an alternative way of living as a society, based on equality and interdependence rather than exploitation and depletion.
O'Connor's arguments would be well applied today, except, technology and activist struggles have progressed in a way he could not have for-seen when writing the essays in this book, first published almost 20 years ago. Re-evaluating and perhaps re-envisioning a Preservation First! type movement, hinged upon the specific nature of the ecology- social and economically- of each micro-culture, could provide a stepping stone for change, beginning at the local democratic level.
I would urge readers of this book to read The Subsistence Perspective by Veronika Bennholdt-Thomasen & Maria Mies as well as articles in the CNS (Capitalism, Nature, Socialism) Journal , begun by O'Connor . If you're not sure about the book, or you would like to read more ecosocialist writing, the CNS Journal is worth checking out- many articles are on their website, free to read.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

my first attempt to read anything about ecologist marxism, red/green politics. It was very dense but very imformative and well thought out. the author even adress many of the problems inherant in marzism itelf and offers solutions to these isuues. He even recognizes that social movements are just as important as economic ones, which is a suprise for a Marxist.