Previous research demonstrates that the contemporary industrial agricultural system in the United States is ecologically and socially destructive. In many ways, it exemplifies the capitalist system of production. A case study of farmworker community organizers in Texas reveals that a key aspect of organizers’ resistance to the industrial agricultural system is a critique of the overall capitalist system. Semistructured, in-depth interviews demonstrate that organizers’ strategies for resistance include integrating human and environmental issues; working outside of the system; increasing inclusivity through incorporating women leaders, families, and community empowerment efforts; and emphasizing collaborative and nonhierarchical systems. This study identifies how, within the context of this resistance, the environmental justice approach can be a useful supplement to the treadmill of production and Marxian political economy approaches.
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