Marxist Geography
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Definition
Marxist geography is focused at the analysis of the geographical conditions, processes and outcomes of socio-economic systems, primarily capitalism, using the tools of Marxist theory (Gregory et al, 2009). Marxism first became an important theoretical influence in geography in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Geographers of that period were not satisfied about the dominant vision of geography of that time. The vision of geography at that time was technocratic, positivist spatial science. Geographers found out that geography (Gregory et al., 1996):
- Had a focus only limited to spatial patterns. It did not take into account the social processes which produced the inequalities in those patterns;
- Was technically oriented, and also ostensibly neutral geographical techniques and analyses often were served in practice to enable and perpetuate various relations of domination;
- Laws which were created and advanced by spatial analysts were generated from industrialized western societies.
The theory of Marx was dialectical, focused at political openness, also focused at solutioning of exploitation and inequality, and internationalist. The theory of Max formed a foundation for a critical geography. Its aim was to understand and to tackle the production of unequal geographies. During the 1970s and 1980s, Marxist approaches were the dominant ones in critical human geography. The Marxist geography was also involved in the debates about the underdeveloped countries. Marxism contributed to the development of geographical theories of the global capitalist economy.
example
The development aid of western countries to african countries nowadays, could be seen in a Marxist way. By improving the economic system of the countries, the western countries try to help the African countries to start their own production of goods. They also try to institute a fair government, to create a kind of political openness. It's helps to reduce the inequalities between countries.
References
- Gregory, D., Johnston, D., Pratt, G., Watts, M., & Whatmore, S. (2009), The Dictionary of Human Geography, 5th edition, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Contributors
- Page created by--HennyLi 21:39, 24 October 2012 (CEST)
- Page edited by Stef Tomesen--StefTomesen 12:07, 26 October 2012 (CEST)
