Industrialism and Deep Ecology

Abstract

Ponders humans' relationship to nature in terms of whether we have overshot the world's capacity to carry industrialized society. Capitalism's critical role in driving human-nature relations is considered, focusing its growth imperative. The potential for socialism to ameliorate the deleterious facets of the human-nature relationship is addressed, suggesting that it might possess the capacity to shift away from growth-oriented industrialism easier than could capitalism. Attention turns to industrialism, noting that both capitalism & socialism have a systemic need for economic expansion, but situated in different places: capitalism economically requires growth, while socialism politically requires growth; their similarity lies in that both systems are centered on expansionary industrialism. In this light, the idea of anthropocentrism is discussed in terms of how such a worldview conceals the crime of expansionary industrialism. A move beyond anthropocentrism toward deep ecology is advocated, & a deep ecology platform comprising eight basic principles is articulated & its potential contributions considered. J. Zendejas