Gao Ze: Environmental Politics of the Communist Party USA Since the 21st Century: Theory, Policy, and Action
The Communist Party USA (hereafter CPUSA) was founded in Chicago in September 1919. Over its century-long developmental history, the CPUSA has conducted explorations with distinct domestic characteristics in labor movements, anti-McCarthyism, and the American road to socialism, enriching the theoretical treasury of scientific socialism. Simultaneously, the CPUSA values international working-class solidarity, actively supporting labor movements in other countries through various means, and has played an important role in striving for world peace and advancing the cause of international communism. Since the 21st century, against the backdrop of continuing to advance theoretical and practical explorations of socialism and resisting far-right forces, the CPUSA has launched a series of new social movements, including environmental protection. It has made significant contributions to the rise of green thought and left-wing environmental politics in the United States, yet domestic [Chinese] academic research on this remains insufficient. Therefore, researching the environmental politics of the CPUSA from theoretical and practical dimensions holds certain revelatory significance for our understanding of the lines and policies of Marxist parties in Western countries and for exploring the developmental trends of the international communist movement since the 21st century.
I. The CPUSA’s Theoretical Construction of the Ecological Critique of Contemporary Capitalism
Compared to the influence of American eco-Marxist trends in theoretical circles, the theoretical reflections and explorations of CPUSA theorists regarding environmental issues are not well known to academia. In fact, the basic proposition of "radical perspectives, realistic politics" fully demonstrates the CPUSA’s characteristic of balancing theoretical construction with practical struggle, reflecting the sharp practical concerns and problem-awareness of its theorists. The theoretical work performed by the CPUSA—applying basic Marxist theory to reflect on the contemporary ecological crisis, expanding the dimensions of the ecological critique of contemporary capitalism, and analyzing the subjects of contemporary social transformation—has made its environmental political theory an indispensable part of contemporary American left-wing environmental political thought, imprinting a profound Marxist mark on contemporary American environmental politics.
(1) Construction of environmental political theory based on the basic principles of Marxism
The cornerstone of the CPUSA’s theoretical construction of environmental politics is the use of Marxist philosophical principles and a return to the classic texts of Marx and Engels to reflect on contemporary global environmental problems. Through theoretical reflection on the increasingly severe global ecological crisis, some CPUSA theorists have begun to refocus on the value of Marxism, particularly the discussions on environmental issues in classic works, for understanding the contemporary ecological crisis. They argue: "Marxist philosophy should be used to understand contemporary environmental problems, and the interpretation of environmental problems should also be used to understand Marxist philosophy." Their views are mainly manifested in the following three aspects.
First, the basic principles of Marxism, especially dialectical materialism, possess scientific implications and contemporary value for understanding the contemporary environmental crisis and its historical origins. John Bachtell, former National Chair of the CPUSA, once remarked: "From the perspective of an early environmentalism, Marx and Engels, and later Marxists, significantly influenced the development of modern environmental science by rooting it in the philosophy of dialectical materialism." Marc Brodine, who served as chair of the CPUSA Environmental Commission, utilized perspectives such as the materiality of the world, universal interconnectedness, and development and change in his book Green Strategy to elucidate a contemporary "radical environmental philosophy" based on dialectical materialism, providing a general analytical framework for understanding the contemporary ecological crisis.
Second, by returning to classic original works, including Capital, they explore the theoretical value of Marxism for resolving the contemporary ecological crisis. Anita Waters, a CPUSA organizer in Ohio and a sociologist, combined the analytical framework of "metabolic rift" [1] to reconstruct Marx’s research path in analyzing environmental issues such as deforestation and the decline of soil fertility. She cited the views of American scholar John Bellamy Foster on the value of Marx’s ecological thought, arguing that Marx’s approach was, in some sense, "some of the most advanced ecological analysis since the second half of the 20th century." Based on this understanding of Marx’s ecological thought, Waters specifically pointed out that the contemporary inspiration of Marx’s critical examination in Capital—regarding the distorted relationship between humanity and nature caused by capitalism—is that if we want to repair the metabolic rift between humanity and nature, we must fundamentally transform socio-economic relations within the context of scientific and technological development.
Third, based on Marxist methodology, they apply systems thinking and dialectical thinking to analyze contemporary environmental problems, proposing new concepts such as the "dialectics of climate change" and "ecological necessity." These concepts enrich the theoretical treasury of using Marxism to analyze environmental problems and expand the terminological spectrum of radical left-wing environmental politics. Generally speaking, the CPUSA emphasizes that the ultimate solution to the contemporary ecological crisis cannot be separated from Marxism. By actively applying Marxism to reflect on the contemporary environmental crisis—grounded in the classics yet facing reality—they promote the in-depth development of theory. This has become a distinctive feature of the CPUSA’s environmental political theory, distinguishing it from other left-wing political groups such as the U.S. Green Party.
(2) Ecological critique from a radical left-wing perspective
Launching an ecological critique from the perspective of contemporary radical left politics to promote the institutional transformation of contemporary capitalist society is a prominent feature of the CPUSA’s environmental political theory. It must be noted that although CPUSA theorists have extensively absorbed beneficial elements of American environmentalist trends, this does not mean their environmental political theory has become similar to other American environmental trends. On the contrary, the CPUSA not only believes that the capitalist system is the chief culprit behind today’s ecological crisis but also emphasizes that the crisis cannot be solved through reform or partial social changes; rather, it requires a systemic and radical transformation of the entire capitalist system.
While adhering to the guidance of Marxist theory, CPUSA theorists have extensively absorbed and learned from contemporary American environmentalism and other left-wing political trends, giving their environmental political theory a style that focuses on real-world issues, emphasizes effectiveness, and stresses practical transformation. Specifically, CPUSA theorists have not only drawn upon the ideas of representative American eco-Marxists or green-left theorists such as Foster, James O’Connor, and Barry Commoner, but have also absorbed the views of figures like Rachel Carson, a representative of the American left-wing environmental movement, and Green Party activist Joel Kovel regarding actual green movements. This allows their theoretical construction to be closely integrated with actual social movements, always remaining oriented toward major environmental issues of public concern.
However, the absorption of other environmentalist trends has not affected the critical and radical nature of CPUSA environmental theory. The CPUSA insists on putting the interests of the people and the environment before profits, opposing the elevation of the capitalist production system above the interests of the people and environmental protection. The CPUSA believes that to think about the sustainable development of future society from a theoretical height, one must launch a profound ecological critique of contemporary capitalism. They emphasize that the environmental degradation caused by capitalism is accelerating toward "ecological tipping points"; once these points are crossed, the social and economic systems will pay a massive price. CPUSA theorists take the incompatibility of capitalism with ecological protection as the starting point for their ecological critique of contemporary capitalism, arguing that it is precisely the capitalist mode of production that has led to the gradual imbalance of the ecosystem. Based on this, the CPUSA further concludes that capitalism pursues the maximization of short-term profits, relegating other issues—such as the environment, public health, human rights and dignity, and public social well-being—to a secondary position. The capitalist production system in the contemporary United States is pushing the entire society toward a precipice.
Furthermore, the CPUSA emphasizes that the critique of the contemporary capitalist ecological crisis must have a global vision. Some CPUSA theorists have elevated the status of the contemporary capitalist ecological crisis to the level of a "planetary emergency," believing that the climate crisis and the nuclear crisis possess the destructive power to threaten the survival of all humanity. These problems must be reflected upon from a "planetary scale." Therefore, relevant countermeasures must be planned based on broader international cooperation. The report of the 31st National Convention of the CPUSA emphasized the interconnectedness between the rapidly evolving climate crisis and various other social crises reaching tipping points. These global systemic crises have brought even more serious impacts to developing countries, intensifying social contradictions and ethnic conflicts worldwide, and leading to complex refugee problems. Some CPUSA theorists argue that the ecological crisis caused by human activities must be reflected upon from the perspective of social issues and should focus on the issues of class and power involved in this process. It can be seen that the CPUSA emphasizes the spirit of global cooperation and internationalism in responding to the contemporary capitalist ecological crisis, believing that only if the whole of human society acts together according to the timetable and scale required by the crisis can low-carbon transformation and sustainable development be effectively promoted.
In summary, the CPUSA has maintained its own distinct radicalism while absorbing and drawing from American environmentalist trends. It has further elevated theoretical reflections based on American reality to the global level, considering capitalist environmental problems from the perspective of a "planetary crisis." This has expanded the spatial vision of the theory and laid the foundation for the CPUSA’s policy positions on environmental issues.
(3) A reality-oriented approach to environmental politics
Exploring lines and strategies oriented toward actual struggle is the purpose and final destination of the CPUSA’s environmental political theory. Because the CPUSA’s construction of environmental political theory particularly emphasizes reality and highlights the effectiveness of theoretical analysis, exploring practical strategies for environmental struggle and identifying and mobilizing real-world subjects capable of driving green transformation have become core issues in its theoretical construction.
The CPUSA emphasizes that the working class remains the key subject for driving the transformation from capitalism to socialism in the contemporary era. Diverging from the rhetoric of "farewell to the proletariat" or the "diversification of revolutionary subjects" that appeared in Western countries since the 1970s, as a party representing the interests of the proletariat, the CPUSA has consistently focused on the core role of the working class in the environmental movement and the contemporary significance of communist theory for the environmentalist movement. The CPUSA’s theoretical construction and practical struggle strategies regarding environmental politics highlight characteristics different from those of the Green Party or other left-wing green groups, reflecting a relatively distinct Marxist theoretical character. On this basis, they have innovatively proposed concepts such as "working-class environmentalism," emphasizing the integration of environmental issues into the contemporary needs of the American class struggle.
While taking the working class as the main subject for environmental struggle, the CPUSA also pays attention to integrating with other left-wing forces in the United States in both theory and practice. The CPUSA has formed broad alliances with labor movements, peace movements, student movements, environmental movements, and immigrant rights organizations currently active in American society. They focus on international cooperation and actively support the labor movements of other countries. The CPUSA believes that a brand-new green strategy is needed to bring about a powerful global movement. This green strategy must link environmental issues with other social struggles; such a united movement will change the current political and economic pattern of the world and help respond to the increasingly severe ecological crisis. It is worth mentioning that the proposition for broad alliances in the field of the environmental movement has been repeatedly written into CPUSA national convention reports and policy resolutions. For example, in its 2008 Report on Global Warming, the CPUSA proposed that Cuba is an excellent model for responding to the environmental crisis. The changes that have occurred in that country in agriculture, transportation, and waste recycling have proven that the socialist system possesses the potential to effectively improve the relationship between humanity and the natural environment.
II. The CPUSA’s Policy Positions on Environmental Issues
In the contemporary American political arena, especially within the left-wing political spectrum, the CPUSA’s policy positions on environmental issues have a distinct social visibility. The party is relatively active in shaping social opinion and participating in public debates on major policies. The strategy of combining radical left-wing thought with realistic politics has allowed the CPUSA’s environmental policy positions to gain a certain degree of public recognition. In practical policy, the CPUSA emphasizes "People and Planet Before Profits," posits the inherent unity between people’s interests and environmental protection, and demands the protection of the working class's environmental rights and interests. The CPUSA also pays attention to marginalized groups, emphasizes internationalism, demands a position of the united global working class in environmental struggles, and advocates for green technology transfer and development aid to developing countries. These policy propositions have played an important role in the CPUSA’s conduct of real-world social struggle and the promotion of left-wing political development.
(1) The "People and Planet Before Profits" position of ecological priority
The stance of prioritizing people and the environment, reflected in the slogan “People and Planet Before Profits,” constitutes the fundamental viewpoint of the CPUSA’s environmental policy since the start of the 21st century. In recent years, the CPUSA has successively proposed slogans such as “People and Nature Before Profits” and “People and Planet Before Profits,” both of which embody a priority focus on the interests of the people and environmental protection, reflecting its basic value orientation on environmental issues.
On one hand, the CPUSA emphasizes the full protection of people’s interests in the process of responding to the contemporary ecological crisis. Regarding environment and health issues, the CPUSA points out that contemporary capitalist industrial production has introduced a large number of new chemical synthetics that pose serious and unknown environmental and health risks. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen supervision through stricter policy measures to avoid exposing workers to chemicals that are untested and whose health consequences are unknown, thereby protecting the physical health of workers and safeguarding the interests of the working class.
On the other hand, the CPUSA pays close attention to the rights and interests of workers and farmers in contemporary US agricultural and forestry policies. The CPUSA supports sustainable forest management, believing that this policy is not contrary to the interests of forestry workers and can create new employment opportunities for laid-off timber workers through the intensive utilization of forestry resources. The CPUSA also focuses on public interest issues in agricultural policy, arguing that contemporary commodified agriculture relies excessively on monocultures, making agricultural production vulnerable to pests and diseases. Furthermore, an agricultural model excessively dependent on chemical fertilizers and pesticides is equally unsustainable ecologically and poses a serious threat to the health of farmers and community residents. Therefore, the CPUSA demands that agricultural policies include further provisions conducive to maintaining the rights and interests of farmers and community residents.
(II) Strengthening the Role of the Working Class in the US “Green New Deal”
Strengthening the influence and role of the working class in environmental policy has been a core policy concern of the CPUSA regarding environmental issues since the 21st century. The “Green New Deal” [2] promoted by the Biden administration has become a major topic in the field of US environmental policy today and has attracted the attention of a wide range of left-wing political groups; some scholars have even begun to reflect on the functions and limitations of the “Green New Deal” from the perspective of ecological Marxism. The CPUSA demands that the positions and values of the working class be highlighted in this policy program to strengthen workers' influence over environmental policy. The theme of the first workshop held during the 31st National Convention of the CPUSA was “The US Working Class, Climate Change, and the Green New Deal,” highlighting the great importance the CPUSA attaches to exerting the role of the working class in the implementation of environmental policies.
The CPUSA’s attitude toward the “Green New Deal” should be viewed dialectically. On one hand, the CPUSA holds an attitude of “qualified approval” toward the “Green New Deal” and provides political cooperation for this policy in practice. This is because the CPUSA believes that although the “Green New Deal” cannot be regarded as a policy that can fundamentally promote a green transition of society, it is beneficial to a certain extent for safeguarding workers' interests and protecting the environment. From the perspective of promoting the unity of left-wing political forces, the CPUSA believes that the “Green New Deal” should receive the support and participation of the working class. On the other hand, the CPUSA is also aware of the policy limitations of the “Green New Deal,” emphasizing that importance must be attached to protecting all aspects of workers' rights and interests, and that it must be further revised and adjusted according to the interests and positions of the working class during its implementation. The CPUSA believes that although the “Green New Deal” was mainly initiated by Congress, labor unions, environmentalists, and other green groups should be introduced into the policymaking process to establish multi-party cooperation mechanisms, promote effective legislation, and protect workers’ rights. At the same time, it also demands that the legislative process of the “Green New Deal” continue to uphold the legal achievements already attained by previous labor movements in safeguarding workers’ interests.
(III) Protecting the Environmental Rights of Marginalized Groups
Focusing on socially marginalized groups, opposing environmental racism, and emphasizing international solidarity are the basic policy orientations of the CPUSA’s participation in real-world environmental politics in the 21st century. Adhering to the tenet of “People and Planet Before Profits” and emphasizing the maintenance of the interests of groups such as workers, women, youth, and immigrants, the CPUSA fully demonstrates its practical concern for vulnerable social groups in its environmental policy.
On one hand, the CPUSA emphasizes protecting the environmental rights of socially marginalized groups. It pays high attention to workers in impoverished communities affected by environmental pollution, demanding that the rights and interests of these groups be prioritized in the policymaking process. It strives to implement the provisions in the “Green New Deal” regarding the maintenance of the interests of indigenous people, ethnic minorities, immigrants, and low-income groups, specifically demanding the avoidance of adverse impacts on vulnerable social groups from landfills, polluting chemical plants, and water pollution.
On the other hand, the CPUSA focuses on the environmental well-being of marginalized groups in the international community. It believes that the resource plunder carried out by transnational corporations in the neoliberal era on a global scale—especially in former colonies in Africa and Asia—has caused environmental pollution and ecological destruction, exacerbating the vulnerability of disadvantaged groups in developing countries to ecological problems and significantly affecting their production and lives. To respond to these global threats, the working class should uphold the tradition of international solidarity, which is of great significance for struggling against the “neo-economic colonialism” [3] that causes environmental pollution and for safeguarding its own rights and interests.
In general, the CPUSA is committed to implementing the basic environmental policy stance of “People and Planet Before Profits” within its own capacity, promoting the construction of a sustainable society through environmental politics, striving to eliminate various structural ills brought about by capitalism, and pushing US society toward socialist transformation.
III. Action Methods of the CPUSA’s Participation in Real-world Environmental Struggles
As a communist party in a developed capitalist country, the CPUSA has not only proposed theories regarding contemporary US environmental politics and held clear policy positions but has also actually participated in environmental struggles in US society. The CPUSA believes that the irresponsible predatory behavior of the capitalist system on a global scale has brought about chaos, placing both people and the planet in a state of danger, with all life on Earth facing unprecedented challenges. Based on this, the CPUSA hopes to save the planet and the future shared by all humanity by launching environmental demonstrations, conducting environmental education and shaping public opinion, and promoting international cooperation in related fields.
(I) Organizing and Participating in Environmental Strikes and Marches
Organizing or participating in mass marches on environmental issues is an important form of the CPUSA’s participation in practical struggle. In recent years, with the frequent intrusion of extreme weather disasters such as hurricanes and floods, climate issues have become an important topic of public concern. However, the US government and capital interest groups have consistently failed to fulfill their climate governance commitments, and even withdrew from the Paris Agreement [4]. In this context, a series of “People’s Climate Marches” broke out in the United States in 2014 and 2017, affecting the entire country and even some cities outside the US. The CPUSA actively participated in these climate marches and carried out extensive publicity, mobilization, and organizational work before and after the events. The CPUSA believes that as the harm caused by climate change increasingly intensifies, social movements and struggles centered on environmental issues are becoming more important. In addition, the CPUSA also supported and participated in the Global Climate Strike, urging the authorities to take action on the problem of global warming.
(II) Conducting Environmental Education and Influencing the Public Opinion Environment
Influencing social opinion through the release of environmental reports and the conduct of environmental education to improve public cognition of the ecological crisis and environmental protection awareness is also an important means for the CPUSA to participate in real-world struggle. The CPUSA has released a series of environmental reports and consultative documents on environmental issues, disseminating its views to the public, increasing public awareness of environmental protection, and exerting certain pressure on public opinion regarding the formulation and supervision of environmental policies. A typical example is the “2008 Global Warming Report” deliberated and passed by the CPUSA National Committee, which introduced the CPUSA’s position on climate issues to the public and created a certain social impact.
The CPUSA also actively organizes Marxist educational activities at various levels, including national, regional, and local, expanding the channels for Marxist education through podcasts, book clubs, and other means. Environmental education is an important component of these activities. Groups focused on environmental issues, represented by the CPUSA Environmental Action Discussion Group, are beneficial explorations by the CPUSA in environmental education and the discussion of ecological knowledge. The CPUSA also regularly holds a series of online educational activities to publicize and exchange views on Marxist theory, working-class struggle strategies, and environmental justice, achieving relatively good dissemination results. The CPUSA has become an important force in conducting environmental education for the public. Furthermore, International Publishers, which is closely associated with the CPUSA, has successively published a large number of popular readings related to environmental issues since the beginning of the 21st century. Many of these works use a clear Marxist position to analyze environmental issues, enhancing public understanding of left-wing environmental theories, policies, and movements. In general, by actively conducting environmental education and publishing related environmental-themed readings, the CPUSA has disseminated its concepts of environmental protection to society and promoted the evolution of contemporary environmentalist trends in the United States.
(III) Promoting International Cooperation in Environmental Protection and Green Development
Promoting the transfer of technology and international cooperation from the United States to developing countries in environmental protection and ecological agriculture is an important strategy for the CPUSA in real-world environmental struggles. The CPUSA advocates for cooperation between developed and developing countries in the environmental field, demanding that developed countries provide green technologies to developing countries that favor sustainable development and increase investment in areas such as sustainable agriculture and clean energy. Given the role of tropical rainforests in regulating climate and reducing the greenhouse effect, the CPUSA strongly supports the protection of tropical rainforests and advocates that developed countries provide corresponding financial assistance to developing countries.
To be sure, the CPUSA’s influence on decision-making regarding environmental issues in US domestic and foreign policy is very limited. However, this has not hindered the CPUSA from exploring solutions to environmental problems based on a Marxist theoretical horizon, particularly reflected in the CPUSA's attention to ecological agriculture development projects in Third World countries. As early as the 1970s and 80s, Richard Levins [5], an American holding a Marxist position, had already carried out research and practice in ecological agriculture in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Inspired by this, the CPUSA realized the significant practical importance of opposing capitalist commodified agriculture. CPUSA theorists emphasize that green agriculture under the guidance of Marxism has great revolutionary potential for opposing capitalist agricultural models and promoting green social change. Donald Donato, a CPUSA organizer in Massachusetts, once emphasized that Marxism must be applied and developed more deeply in contemporary agricultural development to vigorously promote the ecological transformation of agricultural production and alleviate the problems of soil degradation and ecological imbalance caused by commodified agriculture and the abuse of pesticides.
Although the CPUSA has actively organized and participated in a large number of real-world struggles surrounding environmental issues in recent years, its environmental political practice has a relatively limited impact on US environmental policy due to subjective and objective constraints, such as its own weak strength. However, it should be pointed out that because of the CPUSA’s radical left-wing position and its attitude of focusing on the practical interests of the working class and socially marginalized groups, it possesses a certain degree of social recognizability on environmental issues. It exerts a political influence that exceeds its organizational size, becoming an indispensable part of the US left-wing environmental political spectrum.
IV. Conclusion
Since the 21st century, the environmental politics of the CPUSA have mainly exhibited three characteristics. First, the theoretical construction of the CPUSA’s environmental politics always serves its practical movements and directly faces hot issues of public concern in reality. This reflects the CPUSA’s effort to explore the guiding value of basic Marxist principles for solving contemporary ecological problems on the basis of the unity of practice and knowledge. Second, although the CPUSA does not yet possess the strength to directly influence the planning and decision-making of US environmental policy, it has a unique advantage in influencing public environmental cognition through public opinion. In particular, its grassroots approach to theoretical publicity has generated a degree of social influence exceeding its organizational size. Third, the theoretical construction of the CPUSA’s environmental politics has already presented its own distinct characteristics and possesses a certain theoretical depth. This is manifested in its broad absorption of other mainstream environmental theories while closely following and reflecting on major practical environmental policies, all on the basis of applying Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods. This allows the CPUSA’s environmental political theory to exhibit a dual theoretical approach that combines domestic US environmental trends with global capitalist ecological critical perspectives, making it a unique component of the US left-wing environmental political spectrum. Deepening the study of the CPUSA is of great value for us to understand and grasp the new trends and characteristics of the theoretical and practical explorations of communist parties in developed countries since the 21st century.
It is noteworthy that the CPUSA is an active supporter and practitioner of China’s proposal to "jointly pursue a path of global ecological civilization construction." [6] The CPUSA has spoken highly of China's construction of ecological civilization, recognizing the outstanding achievements China has made in afforestation, pollution control, and clean energy, and maintaining that "China is accelerating its pace in responding to the climate crisis and embarking on the track of building an 'ecological civilization.'" Specifically, Bachtell once highly evaluated the role China plays in global governance, arguing that China will increasingly influence every aspect of human life. He believes these represent major contributions to Marxism and that the Communist Party of China is a model worthy of emulation by other proletarian parties, including the CPUSA. Facing the environmental problems currently shared by human society, Marxist parties worldwide should strengthen exchange and cooperation, jointly devise solutions to the global ecological crisis, and collectively address the global governance deficit—including the environmental governance deficit—thereby advancing the cause of human progress through the collaborative process of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
(Author’s affiliation: School of Marxism, Peking University)
Web Editor: Tongxin Source: Contemporary World and Socialism, Issue 5, 2023