An Inquiry Into Andre Gorz's Eco-socialism

Eco-socialism is the combination of ecology and Marxism, aims to supply and develop Marxism by ecology and to explain the contemporary ecological crisis through Marxist theory so as to seek for a brand-new path or possibility for the human existence. The eco-socialism of Gorz belongs to the second generation theory of eco-socialism.Gorz's eco-socialism puts forward under the historical background of ecological crisis in the West, the establishment of the western greens and the production of eco-socialism. He also references the theories about human science of existentialism, the view on nature and socialist of Marxism's and the social critical theory of Frankfurt School. Gorz's eco-socialism emphasizes integration among people, nature, society and he holds the establishment of the Holism view of the three is the premise to build the eco-socialism. Gorz launches a series of criticism to capitalist society whose leading concept is "economic rationality", including criticism of seeking nothing but profits to lead to the ecological crisis; the division of labor to cause the alienation of human; the science and technology for its nature of political dictatorship and social life for its aim of safeguarding the rule of the bourgeoisie. In the meantime, Gorz hopes to establish a society with its center is ecological rationality, economic rationality should be obey to ecological rationality, the mode of production would become self-determination, the development of people would be free and more comprehensive.The ecological rationality of Gorz's eco-socialism has a real publicity of Enlightenment rationality and his political ecology theory has reasonable dialectical thought. However, Gorz's eco-socialism also has questionable places:His critique of capitalism is based on pessimistic humanism; his critique of capitalism's science and technology shows the tendency of "technological determinism" and his vision for ecology socialism is full of Utopia color. Anyway, the inspiration we drew from Gorz's eco-socialism is more deserved us to use for reference today:The critique of consumer alienation helps to establish a reasonable attitude to consumption; his ecological rationality contributes to have a correct view of ecology; his whole eco-socialism provides a theoretical reference for us to build the harmonious society, helping us to continuously create new stages of socialist undertakings with Chinese characteristics.