Unlikehuman beings and specific groups of exploited and dominated humans (oppressedsocial classes, women, black people, homosexuals and others), animals cannot doanything to liberate themselves. They are thus neither the subject nor objectof liberation.
It is truethat animals cannot liberate themselves. They lack the means—both theoreticaland practical—to do so. And very few of them can form any conception of what itmight mean to live their lives in peace. In this regard too there is afundamental difference between humans and animals. But although history showsthat subaltern groups of humans have often organised themselves independentlyto struggle for their own interests, it doesn’t logically follow from this factthat animals should be left in a state of exploitation and servitude.
It must beemphasised that the vast majority of humans have, in principle, the ability toliberate themselves by virtue of being human. Humans can gain an intellectualunderstanding of how their society is organised, and, based on collectivediscussion, they can plan and carry out the reorganisation of society to makeit equitable for all. One or more of the capacities requisite for such aprocess may be possessed by some animals, and certain species of animal,but—whether individually or collectively—these characteristics in animals donot come close to the human level. However, no progressive person would thinkof excluding from liberation those humans who—for whatever reason—do not (or nolonger) possess the capacities required for self-liberation.
Thedecisive consideration in favour of animal liberation is the fact thatexploitation and domination by capital extend not only to human wage labourers,but also to animals and nature in an increasingly intensive and extensive form.For this reason alone, it is essential that not »only« humans or exploitedhuman classes are liberated.
Inaddition, the capacities of individual animal species actually support the casefor their liberation from capital rather than being an argument to thecontrary. This is particularly important to emphasise in relation to exploitedand oppressed »livestock« such as cows, pigs, and chickens. In their ownspecies-specific ways they experience happiness and suffering, so liberationwould make a difference to them and their lives in practice, even if it isimpossible for them to conceptualise it. In other words, no later than with theemergence of capitalism, the objects of systemic exploitation and dominationexpanded, and by the same token so did the objects of revolution. Not all ofthe objects of revolution are also its subjects, and not all of its objects arehuman beings. Nevertheless, they must all be liberated. So it is only logicalfor Marx to demand, citing the words of Thomas Müntzer, that »the creatures,too, must become free« (MECW 3: 172).
