******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ******************** #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. *****************************************************************
I very much appreciate David McMullen take down of John Bellamy Foster's *projection* of Foster's environmentalism onto Marx and Engels in his books on the subject. About time. I doubt Marx would supported GMOs or, for that matter, "opposed" them either. I think he would of weighed the science as to their safety, efficacy (he was concerned with soil fertility!) and how they would of helped or hindered the expansion of the forces of production...which was, despite Foster's *denialism*, is at the heart of everything Marx stood for and runs counter to the "Green" narrative of "small is beautiful" and "we use too much". But I wouldn't predict in any direction what Marx would of thought of any of this well over 100 years after his death. Largely because I do think the idea that capitalism would still exist would of come as a real shock after so many years. McMullen makes this clear in his use of quotes from Marx and Engels, bringing us back to the core belief of the contradictions, the main ones, of capitalism. Most 21st Century self-described Marxists are either ignorant of this or in denial. Oddly, and I'd like David's take on this, is that the *best* discussion of these issues doesn't come from Foster or...even here on this list where the only reply is the *immature* remark from our Moderator: "So what is your point? That Marx would have backed GMO?" ... from a minority by some of the "Eco-Socialist" blogs like climateandcapitalism.com where they really do take this seriously. The increasingly malevolent "de-development" crowd who try to tie Marx to their faux-ideology are only twisting Marx's views into a form indistinguishable from faith-based dogma. I have no doubt that (and here some credit most go to Foster on highlighting this) Marx and Engels were concerned about the effects of rapid industrialization on the health of our species and on the ecology itself. Clearly their view of a planned industrial society would be based on the very wise use of our resources and the use of science to mitigate the worst effects of developing the productive forces...but all...totally...inside the paradigm of *unleashing the development of those productive forces*. David Walters _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
