The necessary surplus ![[Georges Bataille#^8ea67a]] To imagine a critique of Karl Marx by Aristotle, shaped by Alasdair MacIntyre’s neo-Aristotelian [[ethics]], balanced with Timothy Morton’s **dark ecology**, and infused with Nietzschean wisdom, we could construct a philosophy that offers an updated alternative to communism. This framework could also be used to critique neoliberalism while retaining the insights of all these thinkers. Here’s how such a system might be conceptualised: ## **Aristotle’s Critique of Marx Through a Neo-Aristotelian Lens** ##### 1. **Human Flourishing vs. Economic Reductionism**: • Aristotle’s concept of _eudaimonia_ (human flourishing) emphasises the development of virtue and the fulfilment of potential. Marx’s focus on material conditions and economic structures might be critiqued as overly reductive, neglecting the moral and intellectual virtues essential to human flourishing. • Alasdair MacIntyre’s _After Virtue_ reinforces this critique by highlighting the importance of practices and traditions that cultivate virtue, which are absent in Marx’s purely economic focus. 2. **Role of the Polis vs. Class Struggle**: • Aristotle viewed the _polis_ (city-state) as the ideal framework for achieving the common good. Marx’s emphasis on class struggle and the abolition of the state might seem antithetical to Aristotle’s belief in political community as a context for moral development. 3. **Limits of Materialism**: • Aristotle’s metaphysical focus on purpose (_telos_) and human nature could critique Marx’s materialism. While Marx views history as driven by economic forces, Aristotle might argue that this neglects the broader dimensions of human life, including ethical, spiritual, and communal aspects. **Incorporating Timothy Morton’s Dark Ecology** 1. **Interdependence and Ecological Entanglement**: • Morton’s **dark ecology** introduces a deep ecological critique, highlighting how economic systems (capitalist or communist) have ignored ecological interconnectivity. Morton’s idea of the “mesh” resonates with Aristotle’s concept of the interconnected _polis_ but extends it to the biosphere. 2. **Ambiguity and Complexity**: • Dark ecology challenges the absolutism of Marxist historical materialism, pointing out the unpredictable and ambiguous dynamics of ecological and social systems. Morton’s insistence on embracing ambiguity would argue for a flexible and adaptive economic model that respects the complexity of ecological and human systems. **Nietzschean Wisdom** 1. **The Will to Power and Value Creation**: • Nietzsche critiques Marx’s focus on equality and collective ownership, which he might see as manifestations of **slave morality**—a levelling down rather than an aspiration to greatness. An alternative system would embrace the Nietzschean _Übermensch_ ideal, encouraging individuals to creatively reimagine and reshape values. 2. **Critique of Ressentiment**: • Marx’s analysis of class struggle could be viewed through Nietzsche’s lens as rooted in **ressentiment**, where the oppressed define themselves primarily in opposition to the ruling class. A Nietzschean-infused alternative would reject this reactive stance, promoting self-overcoming instead of mere opposition. 3. **Affirmation of Life**: • Nietzsche’s **amor fati** (love of fate) could lead to an economic philosophy that affirms life’s chaos and unpredictability, rejecting both the determinism of Marxism and the market absolutism of neoliberalism. **Critiquing Neoliberalism** 1. **Instrumental Rationality**: • Neoliberalism, which treats individuals as rational utility-maximisers, is fundamentally at odds with Aristotle’s conception of virtue and communal flourishing. It also perpetuates Morton’s critique of ecological destruction by prioritising short-term profits over long-term ecological health. 2. **Alienation**: • Both Marx and Morton identify alienation in neoliberalism—alienation of labour (Marx) and alienation from nature (Morton). A synthesis of their critiques would emphasise reconnecting economic systems with both human and ecological needs. 3. **Market Absolutism**: • Neoliberalism’s faith in the self-regulating market could be critiqued as a failure to account for Nietzsche’s insights into power dynamics. Markets reflect existing power structures and do not inherently distribute resources or opportunities equitably. **An Updated Alternative: Virtue Eco-Economics** 1. **Principles**: • Grounded in Aristotle’s virtue [[ethics]], Morton’s ecological interdependence, and Nietzsche’s affirmation of power and creativity. • Focuses on localised, self-sustaining communities (_polises_) that balance human flourishing with ecological stewardship. 2. **Economic Design**: • Rejects both Marxist collectivism and neoliberal individualism in favour of **cooperative autonomy**—individuals and communities working together to sustain ecosystems and promote mutual flourishing. • Incorporates adaptive, pluralistic decision-making inspired by Morton’s embrace of ambiguity. 3. **Goals**: • Promote _eudaimonia_ by aligning economic practices with ecological realities. • Encourage creativity and the self-overcoming of individuals and communities. • Address inequality not through enforced redistribution but by fostering virtuous practices that enable all individuals to thrive. Would you like to see specific examples of how this philosophy could be implemented in practice?