環境問題への社会経済学的アプローチに向けて--水俣病から学ぶべきもの A consideration on developing socio-economical approach to environmental issues based on Marxian economics

Though environmental economics has relativelyshort history, now a days it becomes an indispensable part of modern economics. But environmental economics in main stream has a crucial weak point, I suppose. Namely it underestimates structural influences from economic & social system. On this point approachesbased on Marxian economics seem to have inherent advantage because this school emphasizes their special concern for structural influences. But actually Marxian economics is also insufficient to tackle with modern environmental issues since it has developed as too narrow closed system of pure economics. In this paper firstly I confirm this point by reflecting the famous case of Minamata disease. Then I will examine whether Marxian economics has possibility to change into social economics as the base for one of the effective approach to tackle with modern environmental issues. I will also point out what theoretical fields Marxian economics should pursue to change itself.