Japanese scholar turns to Marx’s theory for explaining climate change and pandemics

Japanese scholar looks to Marx's theory to explain pandemic, climate change

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A surprise bestseller by a Japanese academic is prompting new generations of readers to consider the ideas and philosophy of German philosopher Karl Marx.

Saito Kohei says Marx’s ideas in his later years are a good example of the kind society we should create in a post-coronavirus age.

Saito Kohei believes that the coronavirus pandemic is evidence of “a paradox” of global capitalism. Since its 2020 publication, “Capital in the Anthropocene,” has been sold in Japan in excess to 400,000 copies.

He uses Marx’s warning against unrestrained capitalism 150 years ago to explain the current climate crisis.

35-year old Saito was an Osaka City University associate professor. He was already a well-known translator of Marxist ideas to the modern world.

In 2018, he won the Deutscher Memorial Prize—an annual award that honors new and innovative writing about Marxism—for a book titled “Karl Marx’s Ecosocialism” that draws on some of the philosopher’s unpublished notes.

Saito Kohei, author, argues that we must not overlook the ecological dimension of Marx’s criticism of political economy in order to fully comprehend its scope.

NHK World interviewed Saito about his belief that Marx’s ideas can help explain the modern world in, where he claims capitalism has reached its limit.

Capitalism’s Limits

“This age, Anthropocene is a geological epoch in which human economic activities are affecting all of the earth and threatening to destroy the planet. Global capitalism has enabled us to build a prosperous society by mining for new resources and encouraging mass production and consumption. We now know that this has led to a paradox,” he said.

“It’s a paradox, that has emerged in form of the coronavirus panademic. The bad news? COVID-19 isn’t the only crisis we face. Climate change is something that is even more severe.

“Capitalism moves ahead as developed countries open up new frontiers to gain access to cheap labor and other natural resources. Marx defines capitalism as the endless pursuit of increasing wealth and value.

Saito claims that developed countries have passed the costs of their growth — like pollution and carbon emissions — onto other regions.

“In the age of Anthropocene there are no frontiers left to cultivate in this age. We now see extreme weather in Europe and the United States, just as we do in other parts of the world. Even if your country is a developed one, you cannot escape from a crisis like the climate change or coronavirus pandemic.

“What if capitalism tries to expand in order to maintain its system?” Saito states that such an emergency brake is necessary.

Saito Kohei believes that the climate crisis and the coronavirus pandemic are two examples of the paradoxes of modern society.

Saito openly expressed doubts about “green new deals” policies that promise both environmental and economic benefits.

“As an economy grows, so does the consumption of energy and other resources. We need to drastically reduce carbon dioxide emissions in order to combat climate change. But, I don’t believe we can simultaneously manage economic growth. He says that those of us who live and work in developed countries must find a way for us to slow down to stable-state, sustainable economies.”

“If we produce large numbers of electric vehicles, solar panels or wind turbines we will need to exploit the limited resources, such as lithium, which is mainly sourced in less developed parts. I worry that this situation could lead to a new kind of imperialism.

Marx and “ecosocialism”

Saito and others are studying Marx’s unpublished manuscripts, written in his last years. These notes include Marx’s studies in natural science. They show Marx’s keen interest in the types societies that existed before capitalism was born, such as a self-governing Russian agricultural commune and a German medieval community.

“In these notes, Marx is trying to draw a picture of a society that would be after capitalism.” He says that there is an idea that could be called “eco-socialism,” which places emphasis on sustainability and social equality. “I’m trying my best to imagine a future society through returning to his philosophy.”

Saito Kohei discovered Marx’s ecological ideas in unpublished notes he wrote in his later years.

Saito says Marx had an idea called the “commons” which refers only to essentials that are necessary for daily life, such as water, electricity, education and medical care. They were managed together in a community that was accessible to all and anyone before capitalism.

He said, “We now find ourself in a situation where capitalism has commodified/enclosed everything on earth for profit making accessible only to the wealthy.”

Karl Marx used the term “commons” for essential items that are managed by the local community. Saito states that most have been used for profit-making.

Saito states that Marx believed there should be a way to control these ‘commons’, but not through nationalization or privatization. Saito believes that citizens should share and manage these public goods in a democratic manner, and not leave it to the market.

Saito explains that Marx also saw the earth as one “common”, although he was concerned that production and consumption would eventually destroy that status.

“Based upon his thought, I believe there may be enough wealth available now for people to share. We could create a sustainable and equitable society if we could increase the number these ‘commons’, as Marx envisioned.