Abstract
In this paper I try to figure out how capital logic caused ecological crises since capitalism developed. Furthermore I attempt to explore the relationship of capital logic and socialist countries. China, being a socialist country, is seriously bothered by ecological crises. I argued wether plan economy or market economy, when the government is deeply influenced by the lure of rapid economy growth, capital logic would dominate society, and ecological crises are inevitable. It is time for China to begin to implement controls on the market to improve ecological outcomes and rethink the concept of socialism. I conclude that ecological crises can be resolved, depending on whether China can move on from its traditional misunderstanding of socialism and make socialism redress the failure of the market. I make some suggestions, including Green GDP, restricted consumerism and narrowing the income gap. These may help to solve the current environmental crisis.
Highlights
There have been three periods of ecological crisis since the People’s Republic of China was founded
The most serious ecological crisis occurred at the end of 20th century with the transition from the planned economy to the market economy in China (Teng Teng, 1998)
Why did the environment suffer in China under both the planned economy and the market economy? Why did it happen in other socialist countries such as the Soviet Union? If it is true that capitalism is bad news for the environment, how do we explain the relationship between socialism and ecology? We shouldn’t deny that socialist countries can damage the environment, if we explore the causes of ecological crises in China on the basis of social relationship, it will help us to understand the principles of socialism as well
Summary
There have been three periods of ecological crisis since the People’s Republic of China was founded. Environmental damage has reduced GDP growth by between 8 to 13 per cent every year (Economy, 2003; Magdoff & Foster, 2003; Pan Yue, 2006) Under a planned economy, when the political economy was mainstream economics in China, academics denied there were ecological problems. Neo-classical economists who dominate mainstream economics failed to solve China’s environmental problems because what to them matters most is individual welfare maximisation, regardless of whether it limits economic growth (Rosewarne, 2002). The ecological crises which occurred under China’s planned economy couldn’t be explained by market externalities. We shouldn’t deny that socialist countries can damage the environment, if we explore the causes of ecological crises in China on the basis of social relationship, it will help us to understand the principles of socialism as well. This paper examines the contribution of Marx in providing a basis to view environmental problems by considering social relationships, and argues that there is a relationship between China’s ecological crisis and socialism
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