On Paul Burkett’s Analysis Of Marx’s Ecological Thought

Ecological Marxism tried to use Marxist viewpoint and method to analysis ecological crisis, to seek the approaches and strategies to the crisis. It also raised the question whether there is ecological thought or not, the western school formed two opposing points of view. Paul Burkett, as one of the important representatives of "Marx’s Ecology", admitted Marx has the ecological thoughts, and systematically discussed. On the basis of Marxist classics, Paul Burkett from historical materialism, the relationship of man and nature and communist society to analyze Marx’s thought, points out the opposition of capital and ecology; and puts forward the idea of reasonable ecological socialism. Burkett’s ideas of Marx’s ecological research not only enrich the development of the Ecology Marxism, and has the certain enlightenment significance.In the first, this paper introduces the realistic background and theoretical basis of Burkett’s Marx’s ecological thought. Than, the article discusses that from "Material and Social Specification", "Relational Holism", "Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis", "Pedagogical Potential", the four theoretical basis, Burkett analyzes the correspondence of the Marx’s ecological thought and the principles of Social Ecology. On the basis, it discusses Marx’s ecological thought systematically:natural conditions is necessary for the wealth creation process; the contradiction of capital and nature, the essence of capitalism against ecological; Marx’s communist thought contain ecological content and ecological socialism. In addition, It discusses Burkett’s inheritance, criticism and transcendence of Foster’s theory about the metabolism, labor alienation and critique of capitalist ideology; O’connor’s the second contradiction and environment industry criticism thought; Benton’s theory about Marx’s labor process deny nature. Finally, This paper also discusses the contribution and deficiency of the research on Marx’s Ecological Thought of Paul Burkett, and summarizes the enlightenment of Burkett’s research to Marxism ecology construction.About the discourse of Marx’s ecological thought, Burkett reveals the Marx’s ecological thought in detail, opens the research of Marx’s ecological thought in a new era. But he regard ecological value as a core part of Marx’s thought, may lead to Marx’s thoughts of ecological tendency. And his ecological socialism society is a utopia, lack of practical solution.