SFeDu

Justice and ecology: from a perspective of political philosophy

TERRA ECONOMICUS, , Vol. 14 (no. 1),

The paper analyzes the crucial issue of ecology from the perspective of political philosophy, indicating that the high speed of development of industrial civilization has accelerated the improvement of productivity on one hand, and reconstructed peoples’ consumption demand and ability on the other hand. People immersed in their selfindulgence in the process of practices in changing nature, the activities of whom inevitably resulted in the alienation of human being and the over-exploitation of ecology. Ecological Marxism uses the theory of justice to explore the fundamental relation of capitalist system and ecological crisis, redefining the dual value dimensions of human and nature so as to construct a new framework of social justice. By analyzing ecological justice with the dimensions of technology, economy and politics, a conclusion has been reached on the necessary underlying correlation between the capitalist system and ecological crisis– the inherent and internal contradiction within capitalism would consequentially endanger the construction of the principles on ecological justice. Therefore, it is in urgent need to create a comprehensive new pattern of justice, requiring an overall consideration on ecological, economic and social justice to reform the existing political system and world order. Meanwhile, it is necessary to evoke the transformation of the values, so as to establish an ecological civilization in accordance with the principle of justice, as well as the harmonious coexistence between human and nature.


Keywords: justice; ecology; capitalism; Marxism; human and nature; reform

References:
  • Marx K. and Engels F. (1975). Collected Works, vol. 3. Moscow: Progress Publishers. (In Russian.)
  • Marx K. and Engels F. (1976). Collected Works, vol. 6. Moscow: Progress Publishers. (In Russian.)
  • Marx K. and Engels F. (1980). Collected Works, vol. 14. Moscow: Progress Publishers. (In Russian.)
  • Marx K. and Engels F. (1986). Collected Works, vol.28. New York: International Publishers. (In Russian.)
  • Amin S. (2013). Three essays on Marx’s Value Theory. New York: Monthly Review Press.
  • Beck U. (1992). Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity. London: SAGE.
  • Coleman D. (1994). Ecopolitic: Building a Green Society. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.
  • Foster J.B. (2000). Marx’s Ecology: Materialism and Nature. New York: Monthly Review Press.
  • Foster J.B. (2002). Ecology against Capital. New York: Monthly Review Press.
  • Foster J.B. (2013). The Epochal Crisis. Monthly Review, 65 (5), 1–12.
  • Gorz A. (2011). Critique of Economic Reason. London: Verso.
  • Gorz A. (2013). Capitalism, Socialism, Ecology. London: Verso.
  • Grundmann R. (2001). Transnational Environmental Policy: Reconstructing Ozone. New York: Routledge Press.
  • Lang M. and Mokrani D. (2013). Beyond Development. Alternative visions from Latin America (http://rosalux-europa.info/userfiles/file/Beyond_Development_RLS_TNI_2013.pdf)
  • Marcuse H. (1971). Counter revolutionary and Revolt. Boston: Beacon.
  • Marx K. and Engels F. (1996). Collected Works, vol. 35. New York: International Publishers.
  • O’Connor J. (1997). Natural Causes: Essays in Ecological Marxism. London: The Guilford Press.
  • Odum H.T. (1996). Environmental Accounting. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
  • Pepper D. (1993). Eco-Socialism: From Deep Ecology to Social Justice. London: Routledge.
  • UNEP (2011). Green Economy Initiative (http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/)
  • Wenz P.S. (1988). Environmental Justice. New York: SUNY.
Publisher: Southern Federal University
Founder: Southern Federal University
ISSN: 2073-6606