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The Enemy of Nature: The End of Capitalism or the End of the World?

The Enemy of Nature: The End of Capitalism or the End of the World?

by JoelKovel (Author)

  • Used

    Paperback 2002

    $5.15
Synopsis

In The Enemy of Nature, Joel Kovel indicts capitalism, with its unrelenting pressure to expand, as unreformably destructive to ecologies. He argues against the reigning orthodoxy that there can be no alternative to the capitalist system, on the grounds that submission to it is suicidal as well as unworthy of human beings. Developing a synthesis between marxism, ecofeminism and the philosophy of nature, Kovel criticizes existing ecological politics for their evasion of capital, advances a vision of ecological production as the successor to capitalist production, and prefiguratively develops the principles for realizing this in the context of struggles against global capital, as an 'ecosocialism' of freely associated producers who realize nature's intrinsic value. The Enemy of Nature is frankly revolutionary in its aims. It is written in the spirit of the great radical motto, 'be realistic - demand the impossible!', and dares to think the unthinkable - that for us, it is either capitalist barbarism and ecocatastrophe, or the building of a society worthy of humanity and nature.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 288
 Publisher: Zed Books Ltd
Published: 01 Jan 2002
ISBN 10: 1842770810
ISBN 13: 9781842770818

Media Reviews
'The Enemy of Nature' is a challenging book, written with passion and eloquence. Its forcefully stressed core message is that 'capital cannot be reformed: it either rules and destroys us, or is destroyed, so that we may have a lease on life'. The underlying causes and their far-reaching implications are systematically explored, rich in detail and insights, leading to much needed radical conclusions. The book should be read by all those who are concerned about the survival of the human species. Istvan Meszaros, author of 'Marx's Theory of Alienation' and 'Beyond Capital' 'Joel Kovel has brought us a persuasive, passionate and hopeful ecosocialist manifesto. He shows how problems from toxic pollution to globalized poverty reflect the inner logic of capitalism, and extends the lessons of Marxism and other radical traditions to illuminate a path toward an ethical and ecological revolution. This book offers much food for thought to all who seek a systemic understanding of today's social and ecological crises.' Brian Tokar, activist and author of 'Redesigning Life?', 'Earth for Sale' 'A necessary and timely book. Necessary because it openly declares capitalism as THE destroyer of the earth and all eco-systems. Timely, because it appears at a moment when more and more people are beginning to lose faith in capital's ability to solve the social and ecological crises. The book is a must for all those who are active in the international movement against corporate-driven globalization and who look for a perspective beyond capital's enslavement of nature and people.' Maria Mies, author and activist 'The Enemy of Nature exposes better than any other single work the extent and depth of capitalism's global ecological destruction. This master work by Joel Kovel then pursues the necessary implications -- including the opportunity and need to imagine an ecological socialist society. Kovel shows that the core conditions of such a society are the accession of quality over quantity and use-value over exchange-value, with the emancipatory possibilities these imply.' James O'Connor, author of 'Natural Causes: Essays in Ecological Marxism' 'Full of insights into the relationship between ecological degradation and capitalist expansion, this is a must read for thinkers and activists.' Walden Bello, Executive Director, Focus on the Global South, Thailand Joel Kovel has written a highly original and theoretically elegant argument that ecological crisis and capitalist exploitation of labour must be understood as two aspects of the same problem, and therefore remedies for ecological destruction require the destruction of capitalism. In the process, he puts forward an account of the ways the gendered separation of man from nature (woman) lies at the root of a masculinist capitalism. The abolition of patriarchy, then, becomes central to the ecosocialist project. In addition to this impressive reworking of Marxist theory, he offers a visionary program of practical political action' Nancy Hartsock, Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington 'Among the many benefits that have resulted from cessation of the Cold War is our freedom to criticize capitalism, openly and forcefully, without being labelled communists, or worse. Joel Kovel takes strategic advantage of this development by indicting capital's dismal ecological record in a book that is sure to spawn lively and sensible debate.' Mark Dowie, author and former editor of Mother Jones 'Anyone certain of capitalism's complete triumph has not as yet encountered Kovel...who believes it possible as well as desirable to overthrow capitalism for a world ecosocialist regime with values' Library Journal 'The ultimate antagonist of capital is not labor but nature...is capitalism setting the state for ecosocialist uprising?' Ted Dace, CounterPunch, www.counterpunch.org 'The Enemy of the State brilliantly lays out the current ecological crisis in all of its dimensions...Kovel's critique of the prevailing politics that exist with regard to solving the ecological crisis is highly important and an urgent argument for activists to engage with...a highly valuable book'. Socialist Review
Author Bio
Joel Kovel has been Alger Hiss Professor of Social Studies at Bard Gollege, in Annandale, New York since 1988. He was awarded a Fellowship at the John Guggenheim Foundation in 1987. In 1998, Kovel was a candidate for the US Senate from New York, and in 2000 he was a candidate for nomination for President of the United States, on both occasions representing the Green Party. He lectures widely and has appeared on radio and television broadcasts in the USA, Canada, the UK, South Africa and Australia. Since the 1960s, he has published numerous journal papers on topics related to psychoanalysis and psychiatry (his original area of study), as well as politics and ecology.