Journal of the Korean Geographical Society ISSN:1225-6633(Print) 대한지리학회지

This paper is to consider how nature in capitalism has been subsumed to the process of capital accumulation, and to see its limits which makes us leads us to search for an alternative ecological society. Nature in capitalism is produced as new commodities from raw materials combined with labor in a general process of capital accumulation. But nature in neoliberalism is subsumed to other type of accumulation process which Harvey calls ‘accumulation by dispossession’ of nature through financialization as well as privatization and commodification, often promoted by its enclosures by capital. This paper takes a closer look at the process of dispossession of nature and its commodification in general, and financialization in particular. As nature is subsumed by capital not merely formally and really but also fictitiously, social and ecological contradictions have been deepened, and brought about conflicts and resistances against them. Considering social and ecological contradictions and conflicts caused by the subsumption of nature by capital, this paper has interests in a fact that, in spite of such contradictions and conflicts, capital tries to find new opportunities for profits and further accumulation with ‘environmental fix’ rather than to cease its accumulation, and emphasizes ‘the revolt of Nature/human nature’ against ecological alienation as a situation in which such contractions become fatal. Finally, this paper conceptualize ecological communitarianism for an alternative ecological society which would resolve problems of the subsumption of nature by captial, especially emphasizing ecological symbiosis, commoning nature, ecological solidarity and rights, and ecological democracy.