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Future Histories International

Matt Huber & Kohei Saito on Growth, Progress and Left Imaginaries

Jan 19, 2025
Join Matt Huber, a geography professor and author focused on climate change and class struggles, and Kohei Saito, a Marx scholar advocating for degrowth communism. They dive into how Marx's ideas can reshape socialism amidst ecological crises. Expect discussions on the pitfalls of GDP, critiques of consumerism, and the necessity of ecological approaches to energy. They highlight the importance of collective action for justice, the redefinition of progress, and the search for joy in the fight against climate change and social inequality.
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Kohei Saito argues for degrowth communism, emphasizing a transition from capitalist technologies to eco-socialism for sustainability.
  • Matt Huber advocates for a nuanced understanding of growth, recognizing both positive sectors like renewable energy and potential negative impacts.

Deep dives

The Debate Between Eco-Modernism and Degrowth Communism

The podcast features a productive discussion between Matt Huber and Kohei Saito, both of whom explore the contrasting yet overlapping ideas of Marxist eco-modernism and degrowth communism. Kohei presents the notion of degrowth communism, arguing that to achieve sustainability, society must transition from capitalist technology to eco-socialism, highlighting Marx's later thoughts on the destructiveness of capitalist technologies. In contrast, Matt emphasizes the potential for technological advancements within a reformed capitalist framework to address ecological issues, focusing on how industrialization has historically led to improvements in living standards, health, and productivity. Both agree on the necessity of democratic economic planning in envisioning a socialist future that balances human needs and ecological sustainability.

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