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Marxist theory and the global ecological crisis - MR Online

mronline.org

Marxist theory gets a green makeover as scholars argue capitalism's profit logic is the root cause of today's planetary ecological breakdown — and that Marx saw it coming.

Marxist TheoryMetabolic RiftEcological MarxismSystems Theory

Theory Briefing

  • Capitalism's drive for endless growth is framed as the structural engine behind multiple simultaneous environmental crises worldwide.
  • Marxist metabolic rift theory argues capitalism severs the natural exchange between humans and the earth, degrading ecosystems at scale.
  • The book suggests ecological collapse cannot be solved by market fixes alone — system-level change is the core theoretical prescription.