Thank you, Astra Publishing House, for providing this book for a voluntary review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

In Capital From Zero Kohei Saito provides a modern interpretation of Karl Marx’s magnum opus Capital. Saito expertly explains Marx’s concepts through examples from contemporary life, interspersed with quotes from Marx. This presentation method provides one with a understanding of Marx’s concepts in a relatable format while also providing insight into the dense work of Marx. For this reason, reading Capital From Zero prior to tackling Marx’s Capital could reap benefits in absorbing the content of the latter.

Saito explains that capitalists seek to separate the means of production from the laborers, thereby separating the conception and execution of their labor, and to commoditize everything, including one’s labor power. Prior to the development of capitalism, artisans had the ability to conceive (i.e., design) and execute (i.e., manufacture) their craft themselves, and by doing so avoided excessive competition and protected their ability to control the conditions and environment in which they worked. The capitalist divides the artisan’s labor process into individual steps and gives each step to different workers, which transforms the know-how of the artisan into standardized and simple steps. This system of divided labor pressured artisan guilds to lower prices, which eventually led to their dissolution.

Ironically, Marx points out that technological improvements don’t lead to better lives for workers. Rather, such improvements increase the speed of the treadmill on which workers are running. The most effective way to combat the commoditization of labor power is to reduce the length of the working day. This discussion enters into the “degrowth economy” being discussed recently in political circles (e.g., France shortened the work week to 35 hours compared to the typical forty (or more) hours a week for American and Japanese workers) and that Saito has written about in Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto. Marx also foresaw the creation of unions, what he called “associations”, as a defense of workers against capitalism.

Saito discussed the nationalization of industries occurring in China and Russia and notes that nationalization isn’t socialism, but rather state capitalism, where the modes of production are owned by the government instead of capitalists. So, the opportunity for the exploitation of workers remains. Saito cites Amsterdam as a country embracing Marx’s vision. Their government committed to eliminating carbon emissions by 2050 and adopting the “doughnut economics” model espoused by Oxford University economist Kate Raworth. Doughnut economics seeks population well-being and environmental sustainability, the boundaries of which metaphorically correspond to the inner and outer rings of the doughnut, respectively. Raworth’s contention is that humanity must live between each of these rings; that is, within the doughnut itself.

Saito closes by saying, “The future society envisioned by Marx is none other than the restoration of the commons. A society founded on shared access to the commons is the true endpoint of “communism.” In his last years, Marx imagined a world in which societal wealth was no longer defined by commodities— rather, the economy functioned in a steady state based on equality and sustainability, with everyone participating in its autonomous self-governance.”

In these precarious and turbulent times where the suitability of capitalism for providing the best outcomes for a country’s citizens is increasingly being questioned, it becomes important to understand Marx’s timeless concepts to determine if there is a better way forward for humankind. Whether you agree with Saito’s thesis or not, you will come away with a valuable perspective.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! Having previously read Kōhei Saitō's other book, the Degrowth Manifesto, I was excited to read this. And I was right to be! Kōhei corrects many popular misconceptions around Marx's ideological beliefs. So much comes from the Communist Manifesto, and very little from Capital, at which point many of his beliefs had changed to some degree or other. The biggest change to me seems to be a belief that taking over the state is not the answer, as it more than likely produces state capitalism rather than a true socialist or communist society. Instead, what is needed is unions, community engagement, people/labor power making decisions about production. The second piece is Marx's highlighting of our need to balance necessary production and consumption with nature's metabolic rate. Today that understanding rings true even more as we deal with climate change. Overall, a fantastic read!