Carbon Technocracy

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This work presents a powerful examination of the interplay between energy and power, focusing on the history of Fushun, once East Asia’s largest coal mine. Located in Northeast China, Fushun features a vast open pit, first excavated in the early twentieth century, which expanded as Chinese and Japanese states sought to exploit its seemingly limitless carbon resources. The now-depleted mine stands as a striking monument to the ambitions surrounding fossil fuels and the technologies employed to realize those developmental dreams. Through the story of the Fushun colliery, the author explores the emergence of the fossil fuel economy alongside the modern technocratic state. Coal was viewed as a vital source of national wealth and power, prompting bureaucrats, engineers, and industrialists to implement new technologies like open-pit mining and hydraulic stowage for intensive energy extraction. Despite the idealization of fossil fuel-powered machinery, these operations heavily relied on human labor, which was subjected to invasive control techniques and escalating output demands, revealing the darker side of this energy regime. While Fushun may no longer hold its former status, the aggressive fossil-fueled development that characterized its rise persists today. As we face a global crisis driven by carbon consumption, the lessons from Fushun are increasingly urgent, highlighting how energy and power have shaped industrial modernity