Do Marxists and capitalists have more in common on industrialisation than either does with degrowth?
Something I've found a bit odd about parts of the modern left is how much hostility there seems to be towards industrialisation, economic growth and increasing consumption.
Obviously Marx was highly critical of capitalism, but he also saw it as an enormous advance over feudalism. He praised the productive forces capitalism had unleashed, and socialism was supposed to build on those achievements rather than reject them.
And I'd have thought this is something Marxists and pro-capitalist liberals should broadly agree on. The industrial revolution and subsequent increases in productivity have been hugely beneficial to humanity, even if we disagree about ownership and distribution.
So I find it strange seeing leftists talk about industrialisation itself as some great mistake, or treating reductions in production and consumption as desirable goals.
I'm aware not all ecosocialists are degrowth advocates, and obviously environmental damage is a real problem. But surely the goal should be making production cleaner and more efficient while continuing to improve material living standards?
Curious whether Marxists here see degrowth and anti-industrial environmentalism as compatible with their understanding of socialism, and whether capitalists think there's some common ground here