The Materiality of Socio-Ecological Conflicts: A Revised Interpretation of Marx’s Theory of Metabolic Rift

Abstract

In the context of ecological crisis and ecological transitions, socio-ecological conflicts are increasing. While their material causes are often attributed to socio-metabolic changes, I argue they also arise from the continuity of capitalist social metabolism, reflecting longstanding contradictions. Using a revised metabolic rift approach, I link disruptions of natural cycles to rifts in social metabolism, reinterpreting the term “social metabolism” based on Marx’s Capital as the process by which labor products reach human needs. To study the material roots of socio-ecological conflicts, I propose identifying the natural and social aspects of metabolic rifts and situating them historically, considering metabolic changes in relation to ongoing capital accumulation. This approach provides a broader perspective on conflicts, connecting them to wider social and environmental issues.

JEL Classification: B, P