A Review On Ben.Agger’s Theory Of Eco-Marxism

Under the circumstances of rigorous global ecological issues and the lapsed confidence of people towards Marxism,Ben.Agger,with his standpoint of Marxism,discussed where modern capitalism will go and built the theory of Eco-Marxism after in-depth analysis into the capitalist reality and absorption of ideas and thoughts from Frankfurt School and Leiss.Ben.Agger believes that modern capitalist crisis has changed from economical crisis to an ecological one,which is resulted directly from consumption alienation.He developed Marx’s theory of alienated labor,thinking that workers,who are alienated from men to machines during intensive mechanical labor,turn to seek compensation for their deficient sense of happiness and the value of life through consumption.In order to pursuit more profit and control the working class,the bourgeoisie incessantly expand production to meet their material desires,leading to the consumption alienation.Because of the dominance of consumption alienation over consumers,the working class cannot disaffiliate themselves from it independently.When capitalism can no longer provide enough goods for workers’consumption due to the ecological issues and the working class consequently be freed from consumption alienation,the conclusion that capitalist system is the root of ecological problems comes and the class consciousness is reborn.This is a process called "dialectics of disillusioned".Combining the American Populism,the working class realizes an Eco-Marxism society characterized by "decentralization,non-bureaucracy and democracy at the grassroots level".Ben.Agger provides a new direction for the development of Marxism,but his one-sided and utopian theory is unfeasible in practice.We should draw on the essence of his theory and discard the waste,then apply it to guide our socialism with Chinese characters.