Marx’s Eco-critical Study Of Capitalist Industry

Marx’s works contain a wealth of ecological thinking,in which the ecological critique of industrial capitalism is an important part of it.Research on the ecological critique of industrial capitalism of Marx is of great theoretical significance in comprehensively understanding Marx’s ecological thinking as well as Marx’s critique of society.Besides,it is of great practical significance to deeply understand the ecological consequences of the capitalism in industrial revolution,the nature as well as the future trend of capitalism.The industrial revolution in the 18 th century vigorously promoted the development and progress of human society,especially the unprecedented development of the productivity of capitalism.However,the capitalism in industrial revolution not only brought about the natural problems of severe pollution and destruction of the ecological environment,but also caused social problems in which the production and living environment of workers are seriously deteriorated.It was in this context that Marx launched an ecological critique of industrial capitalism.Marx criticized the ecological problems caused by the capitalism in industrial revolution from its phenomena to essence.He criticized the pollution of the workers’ living environment,the deterioration of the working environment as well as the urban-rural confrontation caused by the capitalism in industrial revolution.He also critically analyzed the inevitably ecological crisis caused by capitalism in industrial revolution from the perspective of expansion of capital,the profit-seeking nature of the bourgeoisie,the incompatibility between capitalist mode of production and the ecological environment.Marx believes that capital is the value that brings surplus value.The purpose of capital is to continuously realize self-appreciation and obtain excess profits.Therefore,it has the intrinsic impulse of unlimited expansion.The nature of capital determines that it must increase its value at the cost of destroying the natural environment.The profit-seeking nature of the bourgeoisie has forced capitalist to disregard the carrying capacity of the natural environment,make unlimited use of nature and take resources from the natural world intemperately for continuous expansion and reproduction,which will inevitably lead to the constant deterioration of the ecological environment.At root,the ecological problems of capitalism are caused by the incompatibility between capitalist mode of production and the ecological environment.There is an irreconcilable contradiction between capitalist’s unlimited profit-seeking mode of production and the limited natural resources.Under the capitalist mode of production,the relationship between man and nature is alienated and the harmonious development is neglected.Nature becomes the object of control and domination.Marx’s ecological critique of industrial capitalism is of great value.It enriches the society critique theory in Marxism and lays a theoretical foundation for fully understanding the essence of ecological colonial behavior of capitalist.At the same time,it also provides theoretical guidance for the building of ecological civilization in realistic socialist countries.Nevertheless,Marx’s ecological critique of industrial capitalism is based on the development of capitalism in the 19 th century,which inevitably has its time limitations.Nowadays,capitalist ecological problems have evolved into a serious ecological crisis and spread to the world.Therefore,it is necessary to further enrich Marx’s ecological critique of industrial capitalism according to the intensification of the capitalist ecological crisis.