Marx in the Anthropocene: Towards the Idea of Degrowth Communism

Karl Marx's ecological critique of capitalism is more relevant than ever in the face of the global climate crisis. This book explores why Marx's ecology was marginalized and suppressed by Marxists in the twentieth century, but revives in the Anthropocene against dominant productivism and monism. Saito offers a novel idea of Marx's alternative to capitalism, degrowth communism, which sheds new light on the relationship between society and nature and invites readers to envision a post-capitalist society without repeating the failure of twentieth-century socialism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Publication date: 02 February 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The urgency of Karl Marx's ecological critique of capitalism becomes increasingly apparent in the face of the global climate crisis. This book delves into the historical marginalization and suppression of Marx's ecological ideas by Marxists throughout the twentieth century. However, Marx's ecological perspective reemerges with renewed significance in the Anthropocene era, challenging dominant productivism and monism. Through a comprehensive examination of new materials published in the complete works of Marx and Engels, Saito presents a novel interpretation of Marx's alternative to capitalism. This alternative, which Saito labels as "degrowth communism," offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between society and nature. By reinterpreting the late Marx's ideas, this provocative interpretation sheds light on contemporary debates on the interplay between society and the natural world. It also invites readers to envision a post-capitalist society that avoids the pitfalls of the twentieth-century socialism, paving the way for a more sustainable and equitable future.

The urgency of Karl Marx's ecological critique of capitalism becomes increasingly apparent in the face of the global climate crisis. This book delves into the historical marginalization and suppression of Marx's ecological ideas by Marxists throughout the twentieth century. However, Marx's ecological perspective reemerges with renewed significance in the Anthropocene era, challenging dominant productivism and monism. Through a comprehensive examination of new materials published in the complete works of Marx and Engels, Saito presents a novel interpretation of Marx's alternative to capitalism. This alternative, which Saito labels as "degrowth communism," offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between society and nature. By reinterpreting the late Marx's ideas, this provocative interpretation sheds light on contemporary debates on the interplay between society and the natural world. It also invites readers to envision a post-capitalist society that avoids the pitfalls of the twentieth-century socialism, paving the way for a more sustainable and equitable future.

Weight: 444g
Dimension: 228 x 154 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009366182