‘The Development of the Productive Forces’ Theory and Fossil Capitalism: What Would Marx Do?

• In Event: 3167 - Section on Sociology of Development Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 5. Theoretical Perspectives on Developmental Processes and Relationships

Abstract

In a short span of 150 years, since the Industrial Revolution, the consequences of the burning of fossil fuels are direly manifested in global climate change. Can the production and conversion of fossil fuels into energy be termed ‘the development of the productive forces?’ Or fossil fuel technologies are rather the ‘fetters’ on the development of the real productive forces, such as clean-burning, Earth-friendly solar power? Would Marx, today, side with Exxon Mobil and its fossil capitalism, or environmental activists calling for conversion of energy production to renewables? Would he support organic farm production or Monsanto-like genetically modified suicide seed industry? This paper argues that all technologies are neither representative of the ‘development of productive forces,’ nor ‘destructive of the environment.’ They differ in their environmental and social impact. Whether or not a technology represents the development of the productive forces depends on its impact. Borrowing from W.R. Freudenburg’s disproportionality thesis, which examines the proportional environmental impact of productive industries, this paper argues for differentiation of technologies (or productive forces) in terms of their environmental and social impact. Theoretically, it critiques the green left which builds its position on Marxism on the basis of Marxist development of the productive forces thesis, a thesis that it rejects as ‘productivism’ and ‘technological overdeterminism.’ This paper also diverges from the political left that regards every piece of technology endowed with ‘liberatory potential.’ Instead, it argues that subject of critique should be technologies and their impact, not the development of the productive forces thesis.

Author

• Tarique Niazi, University of Wisconsin