Kohei Saito, philosopher: “It is stupid to spend so much money, effort and time on going to Mars”

The philosopher Kohei Saito (Tokyo, 1987) is a Marxist phenomenon in Japan. In his country, Capital in the Anthropocene (2022, Editions B) It has sold more than half a million copies. His books synthesize his research in which he links Marxism and environmentalism. “In the US, but also in Spain, the term communism has negative implications. Something similar happens in Japan,” says Saito in his office at the University of Tokyo, where he is an associate professor and “the only one” specialized in Marxism. He has also published Nature against capital: Karl Marx's ecosocialism (2022, Bellaterra).

He does not believe that Marxism is outdated. His bookplate is a nice stamp with his own caricature, standing next to Karl Marx, seated. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, he began to pay attention to the environmental consequences of capitalism. And he wondered how Marxists should deal with the ecological disaster.

Ask. Where are you starting from?

Answer. We are 8 billion people, much more materialistic than before, in the midst of an ecological crisis whose main cause is capitalism. There are sectors of society that say, somewhat simplistically, that technology will solve everything. But we cannot develop continuously and growth is no longer feasible, especially in the Global North. To overcome capitalism, we need something that goes beyond it. The situation is difficult. And only humans can stop this crisis. If we don't, the planet will completely change for millennia. It is an ethical and moral responsibility.

Q. The environment has entered the so-called “culture war.”

R. Yes, but at the same time social perception regarding the climate crisis has matured. When the former Spanish minister Alberto Garzón recommended reducing meat consumption, a type of degrowth, an attack campaign was organized. Great progress; Not long ago we could not imagine political leaders defending this. At the same time, this reactionary attitude emerges; a response from the extreme right and conservatives who feel threatened by criticism of meat consumption or cars. The majority of the population is concerned about the environmental crisis, but also about giving up things they took for granted.

Q. Does this cause anxiety?

R. We are in a chronic emergency situation. The pandemic was not the last crisis, but the beginning of more problems. We must not forget that moment [el confinamiento] when we consciously stop capitalism. It seemed impossible. But it happened. A short time. A good opportunity to distance ourselves: people became more anti-capitalist and inclined to talk about degrowth. Let's remember it.

“The majority are concerned about the environmental crisis, but also about giving up things they took for granted”

Q. What is your proposal for the future?

R. I am talking about degrowth communism: a society that adapts to the limits of nature and provides universal access to education, health, transportation, internet… Due to different crises, access to these services—the common good— has been undermined for many. But without positive visions for the future, there will be increasing discontent. What we need is to build a broad movement: environmentalist, worker, feminist, indigenous… Propose an inclusive and emancipatory future.

Q. Does capitalism make us bitter?

R. We live absorbed by the system; often alienated: poor, in debt to loans, drowning in rent, without medical coverage… From time to time they enjoy, perhaps, watching Netflix; going to a concert; or buying. Opium. We need to realize that another type of happiness is possible; another company; another life that is more enriching, joyful and linked to nature. We would have to establish what is necessary and what is not.

Q. What is not?

R. The jets private. Most will never use one. They only benefit a few super-rich who also use them as a status symbol while destroying the planet. No matter how much money they have, the rich are not allowed to do that. We should prohibit its use. There are many things that are comparable. We can start by cataloging unnecessary things and later ban them. In the 21st century, the important thing is not whether something contributes to GDP, but whether it is sustainable, fair, and promotes human well-being.

Q. In the gatherings you attend, do you defend these ideas?

R. I try to reach the public. Currently, I am the only relatively young and explicitly left-wing talk show host. I consider it important to make these positions visible in the mass media; Otherwise, that space will be occupied by the right. The younger generations are more open; It is a good opportunity to mobilize them to the left. The situation is precarious; we have to be careful. Existing parties do not always offer a convincing alternative. This may be favorable for the resurgence of Marxism.

Q. There are Marxists who deny the connection it makes with environmentalism.

R. Marx read and took notes. In those notes he talks about how nature, in the 19th century, was already being destroyed, criticizing the destruction of capitalism. After Marx died, Engels edited the volumes and emphasized the idea that socialism can improve the lives of everyone, especially the working class. The dissertation became optimistic with technological progress. It eclipsed Marx's ecological ideas.

Q. Don't you think that techno-optimism is still present, for example, in the galactic ambitions of billionaires?

R. The Anthropocene means that humans have become a geological force, with the capacity to modify the planet. But not everyone is equally responsible for that situation. They are, mainly, the people of the Global North; especially, the super-rich who believe that with their money they can do everything, even flee the Earth. This idea of ​​conquest originates with European colonialism, linking imperialism, capitalism and progress. We should also restrict space shuttles, like Space X. It seems stupid to spend so much money, effort and time to go to Mars; We should invest that energy in saving our planet. As a philosopher, I am an optimist. Our perception, our values, can change in two or five years. Opportunities for change are everywhere. I want to explore what they are.

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