Democracy  &  Nature, Vol. 3, No. 3

 

Redefining Scarcity: Marxism and Ecology Reconciled

 Geoffrey P. Carpenter

Abstract With its emphasis on laissez-faire economics and resource exploita­tion, capitalism is responsible for extensive environmental devastation. But in order for socialism to avoid reproducing the same sort of abuses common to capitalism, marxian economics must develop a sound and realistic appraisal of resource scarcily. The current environmental crisis stems, in large part, from the fact that market capitalism has operated under the assumption of infinite abundance. Marx, too, assumed that natural resources were limitless, and that scarcity resulted from ineffi­cient and inequitable forces of production. If modified to include eco­logical limitations within its working definition of scarcily, marxian economics would logically advocate the management of eco-systems for the long-term benefit of the whole community, the development of forces of production geared towards a steady-state economy, and the re-assessment of 'value' to recognize the non-economic value of undeveloped resources essential to the maintenance of life.

 

 

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