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 more than century-long history, the CPUSA has conducted explorations with indigenous characteristics in areas such as the labor movement, anti-McCarthyism, and the American path to socialism, thereby enriching the theoretical treasury of scientific socialism. [1] Meanwhile, the CPUSA attaches great importance to the solidarity of the international working class, actively supporting the workers' movements of other countries through various means and playing an important role in the struggle for world peace and the advancement of the international communist cause. [2] Since the turn of the 21st century, against the backdrop of continuing to advance explorations in socialist theory and practice 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 research on this by the domestic academic community remains insufficient. Therefore, studying 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 Euro-American countries and for exploring the developmental trends of the international communist movement in the 21st century.
I. The CPUSA's Theoretical Construction of the Ecological Critique of Contemporary Capitalism
Compared to the influence of the American school of eco-Marxism in the theoretical sphere, the theoretical reflections and explorations of CPUSA theorists regarding environmental issues are not well known to academia. In fact, the basic proposition of "Radical Ideas, Real Politics" fully demonstrates the CPUSA’s characteristic struggle of balancing theoretical construction with practical movements; it also reflects the distinct practical concerns and problem-awareness of CPUSA theorists. The theoretical work carried out by the CPUSA—utilizing 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 caused its environmental political theory to become an indispensable and important component of contemporary American left-wing environmental political thought, imprinting a profound Marxist mark on contemporary American environmental politics.
(1) Theoretical Construction of Environmental Politics Based on Basic Marxist Principles
The cornerstone of the CPUSA’s theoretical construction of environmental politics lies in thinking through contemporary global environmental issues via Marxist philosophical principles and a return to the classic texts of Marx and Engels. Through theoretical reflection on the increasingly severe contemporary global ecological crisis, some CPUSA theorists have begun to re-examine the value of Marxism, particularly the discourses on environmental issues in classical 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." [3] Their views are primarily manifested in the following three aspects.
First, basic Marxist principles, especially dialectical materialism, possess scientific significance and contemporary value for understanding the contemporary environmental crisis and its historical origins. Former CPUSA Chairman John Bachtell once remarked: "From the perspective of an early environmentalism, Marx and Engels, and later Marxists, had a major impact on the development of modern environmental science by rooting it in the philosophy of dialectical materialism." [4] Marc Brodine, who served as chair of the CPUSA Environmental Commission, utilized perspectives such as the materiality of the world, universal connectivity, 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. [5]
Second, by returning to classical original works including Capital, they explore the theoretical value of Marxism for resolving the contemporary ecological crisis. Anita Waters, a sociologist and CPUSA organizer in Ohio, combined the analytical framework of "metabolic rift" to reconstruct Marx’s research path in analyzing environmental issues such as deforestation and the decline of soil fertility. Citing the views of American scholar John Bellamy Foster on the value of Marx’s ecological thought, she argued that Marx’s line of thinking is, to some extent, "some of the most advanced ecological analysis since the second half of the 20th century." [6] Based on this understanding of Marx’s ecological thought, Waters specifically pointed out that the contemporary inspiration of Marx’s critical examination of the distorted relationship between man and nature caused by capitalism in Capital is that if one wishes to repair the rift in the social-natural metabolism, one must thoroughly transform socio-economic relations within the context of scientific and technological development. [7]
Third, based on Marxist methodology, they apply systemic and dialectical thinking to analyze contemporary environmental problems and propose new concepts such as the "dialectics of climate change" and "ecological necessity." [8] These concepts have enriched the theoretical treasury of using Marxism to analyze environmental issues and expanded the terminological genealogy of radical left environmental politics. Overall, the CPUSA emphasizes that a fundamental solution to the contemporary ecological crisis is inseparable from Marxism. By actively applying Marxism to reflect on the contemporary environmental crisis—grounded in the classics yet facing reality—they have promoted the in-depth development of theory. This has also become a distinct feature of the CPUSA’s environmental political construction, distinguishing it from other left-wing political groups such as the Green Party of the United States.
(2) Ecological Critique from a Radical Left 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 thought, this does not mean their environmental political theory is becoming identical to other American environmental trends. On the contrary, the CPUSA not only believes the capitalist system is the primary culprit behind today's ecological crisis but also emphasizes that the crisis cannot be resolved through reforms or partial social changes; rather, it requires a systemic, radical transformation of the entire capitalist system.
While adhering to the guidance of Marxist theory, CPUSA theorists have extensively absorbed and drawn on contemporary American environmentalism and other left-wing political trends, giving their environmental political theory a style that focuses on practical issues, emphasizes efficacy, and stresses real-world transformation. Specifically, CPUSA theorists have not only drawn on 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 iconic figures in the American left-wing environmental movement like Rachel Carson and Green Party activists such as Joel Kovel regarding actual green movements. This allows their theoretical construction to integrate closely with real social movements and consistently address major practical 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 profit, opposing the elevation of the capitalist production system over the people's interests and environmental protection. The CPUSA believes that to contemplate the sustainable development of future society from a theoretical height, one must launch a profound ecological critique of contemporary capitalism; it emphasizes that the environmental degradation caused by capitalism is accelerating toward an "ecological tipping point," beyond which the social and economic systems will pay a massive price. [9] CPUSA theorists take the incompatibility between capitalism and 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: because capitalism pursues the maximization of short-term profits and relegates other issues—such as the environment, public health, human rights and dignity, and public social welfare—to secondary status, the contemporary American capitalist production system is pushing the entire society toward a precipice. [10]
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," arguing that the climate crisis and the nuclear crisis possess the destructive power to threaten the survival of all humanity and must be reflected upon on a "planetary scale." Consequently, relevant countermeasures must be planned based on broader international cooperation. The report of the 31st CPUSA National Convention emphasized the interconnectedness between the rapidly evolving climate crisis and several other social crises that have reached tipping points. These global systemic crises have brought more severe impacts to developing countries, intensified social contradictions and ethnic conflicts worldwide, and led to complex refugee problems. [11] Some CPUSA theorists believe that the ecological crisis caused by human activities must be reflected upon from the perspective of social problems, [12] and attention should be paid to the issues of class and power involved in this process. [13] 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 in concert—according to the timetable and scale required by the crisis—can the low-carbon transition and sustainable development be effectively promoted.
Overall, the CPUSA has maintained its own distinct radicalism while absorbing and drawing on American environmentalist trends. It has further elevated theoretical reflections based on American reality to the global level, contemplating capitalist environmental problems from the perspective of a "planetary crisis." This has expanded the spatial horizon of its theory and laid the foundation for the CPUSA’s policy positions on environmental issues.
(3) A Reality-Oriented Logic of Environmental Politics
Exploring routes and strategies oriented toward practical struggle is the purpose and destination of the CPUSA’s environmental political theory. Because the CPUSA’s theoretical construction particularly emphasizes realism and highlights the efficacy of theoretical analysis, exploring practical strategies for environmental struggle and identifying and mobilizing real 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 transition from capitalism to socialism in the contemporary era. Unlike the rhetoric of "farewell to the proletariat" or the "pluralization of revolutionary subjects" that emerged in Western countries since the 1970s, as a party representing the interests of the proletariat, the CPUSA consistently focuses on the core role of the working class in the environmental movement and the contemporary significance of communist theory for the environmental protection movement. [14] The CPUSA’s theoretical construction and practical struggle strategies regarding environmental politics highlight characteristics distinct from the Green Party or other left-wing green groups, reflecting a relatively clear Marxist theoretical character. On this basis, it has innovatively proposed concepts such as "working-class environmentalism" [15], emphasizing the integration of environmental issues into the contemporary needs of the American class struggle.
While conducting environmental struggles with the working class as the main body, the CPUSA also focuses on combining with other left-wing forces in the United States in terms of both theory and practice. The CPUSA has formed broad alliances with the labor movement, peace movement, student movement, environmental movement, and immigrant rights organizations currently active in American society; it stresses international cooperation and actively voices support for the workers' movements of other countries. The CPUSA believes a brand-new green strategy is needed to facilitate a powerful global movement. [16] This green strategy must link environmental issues with other social struggles; such a united movement will change the current world political and economic landscape and help address the increasingly severe ecological crisis. Notably, the advocacy 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 Global Warming Report, the CPUSA proposed that Cuba is an excellent model for responding to the environmental crisis, arguing that the changes occurring in that country's 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. [17]
II. The CPUSA's Policy Stance on Environmental Issues
Within the contemporary American political arena, and particularly within the leftist political spectrum, the CPUSA’s policy stance on environmental issues possesses a distinct social visibility. The Party has demonstrated considerable activity in shaping social public opinion and participating in public debates over major policies. The CPUSA’s strategy of integrating radical leftist thought with real-world politics has earned its environmental policy positions a degree of public recognition. In terms of practical policy, the CPUSA emphasizes "People and Planet Before Profits," positing an inherent unity between the interests of the people and environmental protection, and demanding the safeguarding of the environmental rights and interests of the working class. The CPUSA also focuses on marginalized groups, emphasizes internationalism, calls for a position of global working-class unity in environmental struggles, and advocates for providing green technology transfer and development assistance to developing nations. These policy propositions have played an important role in the CPUSA’s conduct of practical social struggles and in advancing the development of leftist politics.
(1) The "People and Planet Before Profits" Standpoint of Ecological Priority
The standpoint of prioritizing the people and the environment reflected in "People and Planet Before Profits" constitutes the fundamental viewpoint of the CPUSA's environmental policy since the 21st century. In recent years, the CPUSA has successively proposed the slogans "People and Nature Before Profits" and "People and Planet Before Profits." Both embody a prioritized focus on the interests of the people and environmental protection, reflecting the Party's basic value orientation on environmental issues.
On the one hand, the CPUSA emphasizes that the interests of the people must be fully protected in the process of addressing 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 synthetic chemical compounds which pose severe and unknown environmental and health risks. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen supervision through stricter policy measures to avoid exposing workers to untested chemicals with unknown health consequences [25], 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 within contemporary U.S. agricultural and forestry policies. The CPUSA supports sustainable forest management, arguing that such policies are not antithetical to the interests of forestry workers and can create new employment opportunities for displaced timber workers through the intensive utilization of forestry resources. The CPUSA also focuses on public interest issues within agricultural policy, contending that contemporary commodified agriculture relies excessively on monocultures, making agricultural production vulnerable to pests and diseases. Furthermore, an agricultural model over-reliant on chemical fertilizers and pesticides is ecologically unsustainable and inflicts serious harm on the health of farmers and community residents. Consequently, the CPUSA demands the further inclusion of provisions in agricultural policy that favor the protection of the rights and interests of farmers and local residents [26].
(2) Strengthening the Role of the Working Class in the U.S. "Green New Deal"
Strengthening the influence and role of the working class within environmental policy has been a core policy concern for the CPUSA regarding environmental issues since the 21st century. The "Green New Deal" championed by the Biden administration has become a primary topic in the field of contemporary U.S. environmental policy and has attracted the attention of broad leftist political groups [27]; some scholars have even begun to reflect on the role and limitations of the "Green New Deal" from the perspective of eco-Marxism [28]. The CPUSA demands that the positions and values of the working class be highlighted within this policy program, strengthening workers' influence over environmental policy. The theme of the first workshop held during the 31st CPUSA National Convention was "The U.S. Working Class, Climate Change, and the Green New Deal," underscoring the great importance the CPUSA attaches to exerting the role of the working class in the implementation of environmental policies [29].
The CPUSA’s attitude toward the "Green New Deal" should be viewed dialectically. On one hand, the CPUSA maintains an attitude of "qualified approval" toward the Green New Deal and politically coordinates with this policy in practice. This is because the CPUSA believes that while the Green New Deal cannot be regarded as a policy capable of fundamentally driving a green transformation of society, it is, to a certain extent, conducive to safeguarding workers' interests and protecting the environment. From the perspective of promoting the unity of leftist political forces, the CPUSA believes the Green New Deal deserves 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 the policy must be further revised and adjusted during its implementation based on the interests and standpoint of the working class. The CPUSA maintains that although the Green New Deal was primarily initiated by Congress, labor unions, environmentalists, and other green groups should be introduced into the policy-making process to establish a multi-party cooperation mechanism, promote effective legislation, and guarantee workers' rights. At the same time, it demands that during the legislative process of the Green New Deal, the legal achievements previously won by the labor movement regarding workers' interests must continue to be upheld [30].
(3) Protecting the Environmental Rights and Interests of Marginalized Groups
Focusing on socially marginalized groups, opposing environmental racism, and emphasizing international unity comprise the basic policy orientations of the CPUSA’s participation in practical environmental politics since the 21st century. By upholding the tenet of "People and Planet Before Profits" and emphasizing the protection of the interests of groups such as workers, women, youth, and immigrants, the CPUSA fully demonstrates its practical concern for vulnerable social groups within its environmental policy.
On the one hand, the CPUSA emphasizes protecting the environmental rights and interests of socially marginalized groups. The CPUSA 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 policy-making process. It strives for the implementation of provisions in the Green New Deal regarding the protection of the interests of Indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, immigrants, and low-income groups [31], specifically demanding the avoidance, as much as possible, of the adverse impacts of landfills, polluting chemical plants, and water pollution on vulnerable social groups [32].
On the other hand, the CPUSA focuses on the environmental well-being of marginalized groups in the international community. It argues that the resource plunder carried out by transnational corporations in the era of neoliberalism—especially in former colonial countries in Africa and Asia—has caused environmental pollution and ecological destruction. This has exacerbated the vulnerability of disadvantaged groups in developing countries facing ecological problems and significantly affected their production and lives. To address 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" that causes environmental pollution and for safeguarding its own rights and interests.
Overall, the CPUSA is committed to implementing the basic environmental policy position of "People and Planet Before Profits" within its own capacity. Through environmental politics, it seeks to promote the construction of a sustainable society, strive to eliminate the various structural ills brought about by capitalism, and push American society toward socialist transformation.
III. Action Methods of the CPUSA in Participating in Practical Environmental Struggles
As a Communist Party in a developed capitalist country, the CPUSA has not only proposed theories regarding contemporary U.S. environmental politics and maintained clear policy positions but has also actually participated in environmental struggles within American society. The CPUSA believes that the irresponsible predatory behavior of the capitalist system on a global scale has brought about chaos, placing both the people and the planet in a dangerous state, with all life on Earth facing unprecedented challenges. Based on this, through actions such as mobilizing environmental protests and demonstrations, conducting environmental education and shaping the public opinion environment, and promoting international cooperation in related fields, the CPUSA hopes to save the planet and the future shared by all humanity.
(1) 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 U.S. government and capital interest groups have repeatedly failed to fulfill their climate governance commitments and even withdrew from the Paris Agreement. 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 U.S. The CPUSA actively participated in these climate marches and conducted extensive propaganda, mobilization, and organizational work before and after the events [33]. The CPUSA believes that as the harm caused by climate change intensifies, social movements and struggles centered on environmental issues are becoming increasingly important. Additionally, the CPUSA has supported and participated in Global Climate Strikes, urging the authorities to take action on the issue of global warming.
(2) Conducting Environmental Education and Influencing the Public Opinion Environment
Influencing social public opinion through the release of environmental reports and the conduct of environmental education to enhance public cognition of the ecological crisis and awareness of environmental protection is also an important means for the CPUSA to participate in practical struggle. The CPUSA has released a series of environmental reports and advisory documents centered on environmental issues, disseminating its views to the public, increasing public awareness of environmental protection, and exerting certain public opinion pressure on the formulation and supervision of environmental policies. A typical example is the "2008 Report on Global Warming" deliberated and approved by the CPUSA National Committee, which introduced the Party's stance on climate issues to the public and created a certain social impact.
The CPUSA also actively organizes Marxist education activities at different levels—national, regional, and local—expanding the channels of 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 exploratory results of the CPUSA’s environmental education and ecological knowledge seminars. The CPUSA also regularly organizes a series of online educational activities to promote and exchange ideas on Marxist theory, working-class struggle strategies, and environmental justice, achieving favorable dissemination results. The CPUSA has become an important force in conducting environmental education for the public. Furthermore, International Publishers Co., which is closely associated with the CPUSA, has published a large number of popular readers related to environmental issues since the beginning of the 21st century. Many of these works use a clear Marxist standpoint to analyze environmental issues, increasing public understanding of leftist environmental theories, policies, and movements. Overall, by actively conducting environmental education and publishing related environmental-themed readers, the CPUSA has disseminated its environmental protection concepts to society and promoted the evolution of contemporary American environmentalist trends.
(3) Promoting International Cooperation in Environmental Protection and Green Development
Promoting international cooperation and the transfer of technology from the United States to developing countries in the areas of environmental protection and ecological agriculture is an important strategy in the CPUSA's practical environmental struggle. The CPUSA advocates for promoting cooperation between developed and developing countries in the environmental field, demanding that developed countries provide green technologies to developing countries that are conducive to promoting sustainable development and increase investment in areas such as sustainable agriculture and clean energy. Given the role of tropical rainforests in regulating the 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 [34].
To be sure, the CPUSA’s influence on decision-making regarding environmental issues in U.S. 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 vision, particularly evidenced by the Party's focus on ecological agriculture development projects in Third World countries. As early as the 1970s and 80s, Richard Levins, an American based in a Marxist standpoint, had already conducted research and practice in ecological agriculture in Cuba and Puerto Rico [35]. Inspired by this, the CPUSA realized the important practical significance of opposing capitalist commodified agriculture. CPUSA theorists emphasize that green agriculture under the guidance of Marxism possesses significant revolutionary potential for opposing the capitalist agricultural model 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 advance 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 [36].
Although the CPUSA has actively organized and participated in a large number of practical struggles centered on environmental issues in recent years, the impact of its environmental political practice on U.S. environmental policy is relatively limited due to objective and subjective constraints, such as its own weak strength. However, it should be noted that due to its radical leftist stance and its attitude of focusing on the practical interests of the working class and marginalized social groups, the CPUSA possesses a certain social visibility on environmental issues. It exerts a political influence that exceeds its organizational size, becoming an indispensable part of the spectrum of American leftist environmental politics.
IV. Conclusion
Since the 21st century, the environmental politics of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) has primarily manifested three characteristic features. First, the CPUSA’s theoretical construction of environmental politics consistently serves its practical movement, directly addressing the hot-button issues of public concern. This reflects the CPUSA’s effort to explore the guiding value of the basic principles of Marxism in solving contemporary ecological problems, based on the unity of practice and cognition. Second, although the CPUSA does not yet possess the strength to directly influence the planning and decision-making of U.S. environmental policy, it possesses a unique advantage in influencing public environmental perception through public opinion. In particular, its grassroots [11] approach to theoretical propaganda has, to a certain extent, generated a social influence that exceeds the scale of its organization. Third, the theoretical construction of the CPUSA’s environmental politics has developed its own distinct characteristics and achieved a certain theoretical depth. This is evidenced by its application of Marxist standpoints, viewpoints, and methods, its broad absorption of other mainstream environmental theories, and its close scrutiny and reflection on major real-world environmental policies. This allows the CPUSA’s environmental political theory to exhibit a dual theoretical approach that combines indigenous American environmental thought with global capitalist ecological critique, making it a unique component within the spectrum of American left-wing environmental political thought. Deepening our research into this is of significant value for understanding and grasping 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 chart the course for global ecological civilization construction." It has spoken highly of China's ecological civilization construction, recognizing China’s outstanding achievements in afforestation, pollution control, and clean energy, and maintaining that "China is accelerating the pace of its response to the climate crisis and has embarked on the track of building an 'ecological civilization.'" [12] In particular, [CPUSA National Chair] Joe Sims and others have highly evaluated the role played by China in global governance, believing that China will increasingly influence every aspect of human life, that these are major contributions to Marxism, and that the Communist Party of China is an exemplary model for other proletarian parties, including the CPUSA, to learn from. [13] Facing the environmental problems shared by human society today, Marxist parties worldwide should strengthen exchange and cooperation to jointly devise solutions for the global ecological crisis. They should work together to address global governance deficits, including the environmental governance deficit, and jointly advance the cause of human progress in the process of hand-in-hand building a community with a shared future for humanity.