The geology of the ruling class?

Abstract

Andreas Malm and Alf Hornborg argued in The Anthropocene Review that the Anthropocene narrative should be challenged, because the material resources of the Earth are actually unevenly exploited and consumed, with inequality across classes and nations. Though there is no disagreement regarding this point, it is argued here that the implied notion of control of global biogeochemical cycles by the ruling class is misplaced, and that the most fundamental concept for a critical understanding of the Anthropocene is fetishism, i.e. the Anthropocene is characterized by a lack of social (or class) control. We claim also that this theoretical discussion is of utmost political importance.