Authors

Discussion

This paper critically explores the intersections of plant philosophy and temporalities within Soviet theory, contributing to the often Western-centric discourse on the Anthropocene. It presents research on plant cognition and agency, examining their integration and exclusion in Soviet Marxism. I argue that plants can serve as active agents, reshaping the interplay between political economy and epistemology. Through the lens of plant philosophy, the paper uncovers overlooked facets of dialectical materialism (Diamat), such as ecological energetics, vegetal systems thinking, activity theory, dialectical ecology, and more-than-human subjectivities. This approach offers a fresh perspective on dialectical materialism, challenging its conventional image as a rigid and totalitarian doctrine.

The paper also explores vegetal temporalities during the Soviet period, exploring motion, stasis, repetition, and growth. Incorporating Michael Marder's conception of vegetal time, the paper examines how temporalities intersect with plant philosophy, offering a new perspective on dialectical materialism. The analysis includes case studies from Soviet theory and agricultural practices, such as Trofim Lysenko’s pseudoscience, Vladimir Stanchinsky’s ecological energetics, Olga Burmatova’s socialist cybernetics, Alexander Bogdanov’s ‘Tektology,’ and Evald Ilyenkov’s ecology of personality. Through these examples, the paper demonstrates that plants provide a new view on dialectical materialism. This paper aims to provide valuable insights for developing a socialist theory of the Anthropocene, emphasising the significance of non-human agency in the current ecological crisis.