A Research On J. B.Foster’s Ecological Marxism

The Ecological Marxism appeared in the background of ecological crisis in the seventies of 20 th century. After Western Marxism ended in logic, researchers of this school explain the question of reality with their Marxism and Western Marxism. John Bellamy Foster is one of the most influential scholars.Foster’s primary contribution on Ecological Marxism is his work, Marx’s Ecology: materialism and nature. By doing a close reading of Foster’s work, this thesis means to demonstrate Foster’s effort of constructing Ecological Marxism. My paper is an interpretation of his work. In Foster’s thoughts, constructing of Ecological Marxism must begin with the foundation. Therefore, he reviews the history of Marxism and find the implied ideas of ecology from works of Marx and Engel. By reviewing the process of construction of Marx’s materialism, Foster research the influence of Epicurus, Feuerbach and Hegel’s thoughts which prompts Marx forms natural materialism and practice materialism on this basis. On the other hand, Forster also explicates Marx’s metabolism break theory, that was a healthy metabolism between nature and society originally, but there is a break. As the development of industry and the appearance of city the break of metabolism emerges. Meanwhile, capitalist mode of production strengthened the break. All of these contribute to alienation. To solve this problem, we should pursue need, use value rather than value. As a result capitalist mode of production should be abolished. Instead, joint labors supervise the relationship between human and nature by means of planning to achieve harmony.However, there are some misunderstandings on the Foster’s interpretation of Marx’s classic works. Foster interprets Marx’s ecological thoughts by researching Epicurus and Feuerbach’s view on nature, while he misreads their thoughts and in his misreading the understanding on Marx back to the old materialism’s discourse which we barely understand Marx’s philosophical revolution. The revolution is based on practice and subverts the original materialism. Even so, in the contemporary society, ruled by capital principle, Foster’s interpretation of Marx’s ecological view, especially attributing the ecological crisis to capitalism’s thoughts brings us a new view. Above all, Foster’s ecological Marxism is significant in the development history of Marxism. After the collapse of the former Soviet Union and tremendous change to East Europe Marxism declined, especially Western Marxism has been ended in logic and post-Marxists departed from Marxism; in this background Foster’s research on ecological Marxism saves Marxism in a certain degree. Moreover, his works is significant to revealing Marxism’s contemporary value.