Izvorni znanstveni članak
On Rural Metabolism and the Economics of Disappearance
Leo Rafolt
; Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku
Sažetak
This paper explores the intricate relationship between agrarian economics, ecological degradation, and rural life through the lens of Mate Balota's novel Tijesna zemlja. Utilizing Karl Marx's theory of the metabolic rift, as further developed by Kohei Saito, the study analyzes destructive ecological consequences of the capitalist mode of production on agriculture and rural environment. The paper further employs Karl Polanyi's concept of fictitious commodities (of land, labor, and money) and Nancy Fraser's multidimensional critique of capitalist crises— spanning ecological, social reproductive, and financial dimensions, to interpret the socioeconomic dynamics depicted in the novel. By juxtaposing literature, agrarian economics, and ecocriticism, this paper demonstrates how the capitalist financial ization of nature and human labour disrupts the organic metabolism between society and the environment. Ultimately, it manages to reflect on Mijo Mirković's (Mate Balota) advocacy for preservation of agrarian micro-communities and his push for sustainable, localized approaches to agricultural policy.
Ključne riječi
ecocriticism; metabolism; agrarian economy; land-soil; capitalism; fictitious commodities
Hrčak ID:
349662
URI
Datum izdavanja:
23.7.2026.
Posjeta: 0 *