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Capital From Zero: Reading Marx in the Age of Climate Catastrophe
For readers of David Harvey and Thomas Piketty comes a new introduction to Marx’s Capital from the author of the internationally bestselling book Slow Down.
The follow-up to his global bestseller Slow Down and a new introduction to Marx's Capital, Capital From Zero is a reading guide, a manifesto, a revision, and a reclamation of Marx's foundational work of political theory. Building on his signature argument of "degrowth communism", Saito's introduction brings Capital squarely into the 21st century, offering a uniquely non-Western, non-dogmatic and eco-socialist reading of the famous text.
Saito is a singular intellect with an essential and innovative point of view—a fresh new voice in Marxist theory who will sit alongside David Harvey and Thomas Piketty in educating and guiding the next generation of radical intellectuals. The book reconstructs Marx’s Capital from a totally new perspective based on more recent research findings, liberating Marx from old dogmas of the Soviet socialism and aiming to rekindle our ability to envision a more equal and sustainable society beyond capitalism.
The follow-up to his global bestseller Slow Down and a new introduction to Marx's Capital, Capital From Zero is a reading guide, a manifesto, a revision, and a reclamation of Marx's foundational work of political theory. Building on his signature argument of "degrowth communism", Saito's introduction brings Capital squarely into the 21st century, offering a uniquely non-Western, non-dogmatic and eco-socialist reading of the famous text.
Saito is a singular intellect with an essential and innovative point of view—a fresh new voice in Marxist theory who will sit alongside David Harvey and Thomas Piketty in educating and guiding the next generation of radical intellectuals. The book reconstructs Marx’s Capital from a totally new perspective based on more recent research findings, liberating Marx from old dogmas of the Soviet socialism and aiming to rekindle our ability to envision a more equal and sustainable society beyond capitalism.
- GenresNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
Published July 21, 2026
About the author
Kōhei Saitō
20 books327 followersKohei Saito received his Ph.D. from Humboldt University in Berlin. He is currently associate professor of political economy at Osaka City University. He has published articles and reviews on Marx’s ecology, including “The Emergence of Marx’s Critique of Modern Agriculture,” and “Marx’s Ecological Notebooks,” both in Monthly Review. He is working on editing the complete works of Marx and Engels, Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe (MEGA) Volume IV/18, which includes a number of Marx’s natural scientific notebooks.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 23, 2026
As a read-along to Capital and review of current Marxist scholarship, you can’t do much better. This book makes the need for socialism more clear and urgent than is already apparent; with a solid awareness of how climate change and self-justifying investments in AI are inextricably linked to an economic system fundamentally at odds with a world with limited resources and interconnected systems of renewal.
This book is at its best when it is guiding the reader through Capital’s core ideas, relating them to Marx’s historical context but also the our own, and presents a strong argument that capitalism, at every stage of its existence, has been exploitative and wholly illogical.
I can’t recommend this enough; now more than ever, people must be able to define capitalism and understand its history, to truly understand our present, just as we must be able to define socialism before we can advocate for our future.
That said, I found Saitō’s analysis of existing socialist states, past and present, as well as the path towards socialism he sees as having the most promise to be hurried, not entirely serious, and inconsistent.
For instance, he correctly identifies support for Universal Basic Income as fruitless, in part due to the forces of capital that will inevitably resist any loss of leverage; but believes that more worker co-ops and mutual aid can lay enough groundwork to somehow overcome this power imbalance—to say nothing of the timescale required, given our urgent need to change our destruction of the planet before it becomes even more inhospitable.
He uses the failed Paris Commune as an example for a way of governance and community to aspire to, but also calls for the rejection of Marxist-Leninism, when Marxist-Leninism exists because it answers the very question, “How might the Paris Commune have survived against the rich land-owning upper-class that could not abide its existence?”
A disappointing final 1/3 that in no way changes my recommendation of the first 2/3. There is no longer any excuse; we must all read political theory if we’re going to craft a path towards survival and revolution, and this is a great place to start.
Listened to audiobook, narrated by David DeVries.
This book is at its best when it is guiding the reader through Capital’s core ideas, relating them to Marx’s historical context but also the our own, and presents a strong argument that capitalism, at every stage of its existence, has been exploitative and wholly illogical.
I can’t recommend this enough; now more than ever, people must be able to define capitalism and understand its history, to truly understand our present, just as we must be able to define socialism before we can advocate for our future.
That said, I found Saitō’s analysis of existing socialist states, past and present, as well as the path towards socialism he sees as having the most promise to be hurried, not entirely serious, and inconsistent.
For instance, he correctly identifies support for Universal Basic Income as fruitless, in part due to the forces of capital that will inevitably resist any loss of leverage; but believes that more worker co-ops and mutual aid can lay enough groundwork to somehow overcome this power imbalance—to say nothing of the timescale required, given our urgent need to change our destruction of the planet before it becomes even more inhospitable.
He uses the failed Paris Commune as an example for a way of governance and community to aspire to, but also calls for the rejection of Marxist-Leninism, when Marxist-Leninism exists because it answers the very question, “How might the Paris Commune have survived against the rich land-owning upper-class that could not abide its existence?”
A disappointing final 1/3 that in no way changes my recommendation of the first 2/3. There is no longer any excuse; we must all read political theory if we’re going to craft a path towards survival and revolution, and this is a great place to start.
Listened to audiobook, narrated by David DeVries.
July 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC.
This is a really good introduction to Marx's Kapital. It includes references to other works than Marx (some of which hadn't even been written yet at the time of Kapital, I think), and explains Marx's theories and terms in a way that is very accessible for people that aren't economic scientists while not losing out on the relevant nuance or complexity of the matter. I've read Kapital before, and it's a MESS to read if you just go in blind and have never read a text like it before, so I really like this introduction and the modern-day examples. It brings the very relevant theories closer to the reader and their current situation, and explains in a way that doesn't make you feel stupid.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a fan of capitalism, so of course I'm also inclined to agree with the points made, but I think that even if you are not, you would appreciate this book, if only because it spares you from having to go through the actual Kapital.
As an introduction to be read in tandem with or before Kapital, I think the audiobook format works fine. However, if this is your first and only introduction, and you haven't learned about these ideas through cultural osmosis, either, I do think you might benefit more from a written version as it more easily allows you to go back to sections and annotate.
This is a really good introduction to Marx's Kapital. It includes references to other works than Marx (some of which hadn't even been written yet at the time of Kapital, I think), and explains Marx's theories and terms in a way that is very accessible for people that aren't economic scientists while not losing out on the relevant nuance or complexity of the matter. I've read Kapital before, and it's a MESS to read if you just go in blind and have never read a text like it before, so I really like this introduction and the modern-day examples. It brings the very relevant theories closer to the reader and their current situation, and explains in a way that doesn't make you feel stupid.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a fan of capitalism, so of course I'm also inclined to agree with the points made, but I think that even if you are not, you would appreciate this book, if only because it spares you from having to go through the actual Kapital.
As an introduction to be read in tandem with or before Kapital, I think the audiobook format works fine. However, if this is your first and only introduction, and you haven't learned about these ideas through cultural osmosis, either, I do think you might benefit more from a written version as it more easily allows you to go back to sections and annotate.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kōhei Saitō’s latest is a great framing of Marx’s work for the 21st century and those looking to dabble in views beyond your average Green New Deal. It might not have blinding optimism like Abundance (which I’ve admittedly never read but is oft mentioned to me), but maybe Saitō’s premise, mainly that Marx has provided us the tools we need to imagine life beyond global exploitation and endless consumption, is enough to attract the right folks to read this. By incorporating the latest research into Marx’s later thinking and writing on the environment and the finite nature of the world, Saitō breathes new life into Marx’s Capital and invites the reunification of leftist, green, communal, and anarchistic thinking toward a sustainable future for us all.
Thank you to #AstraHouse and #NetGalley for this ARC of #CapitalFromZero
More detailed review **with spoilers** below!!
______________________________________________________
Chapters 1 and 2 are introductions to some basic concepts on Marx but what I love about the framing is that Saitō does such a great job at weaving constant themes together across the book. So while the reader is learning or being primed for concepts like Enclosure as Privatization, the themes of nature, the natural world, and the byline that Marx has given us the clues to solve the ecological problems of our times are present and feel stylistically pleasant. The concept of use-value vs. value is a big one here in my opinion because it comes up later, in relation to the fairy tales of consumerism, as well as imagining a world post-capitalism (where use-value comes out on top). The second chapter does a great job of connecting all that concept stuff to our real lives we live today (or know of at least), again showcasing Saitō’s compelling ability to frame his argument so well. This is rounded out by the first of a few concrete calls Saitō makes throughout the text on how we could immediately change the world for the better and oppose the capitalist structure, by shortening the workday over raising wages. The idea is solid, it avoids the pitfall counterpoint to the “raised wages means raised prices” strategy but still gives more power to the worker by giving them back more of their time, which as he points out, gives the worker more time to envision how to resist capitalism. Although the average reader of this book is probably not the blue-collar worker that the author talks about so often in his examples, it is again a great framing tool to the audience that would read this.
In the third chapter, Saitō says the first two chapters have been about manipulation of the worker through commodity, and manipulation of the worker through the capitalist movement. This chapter will be about manipulation of the worker by machine or the modes of production. Saitō provides examples through time of capitalism repeatedly alienating the worker from the enjoyable aspects of their work. From the replacement of Guilds across Europe to streamlined Taylorism - the drive for profit and efficiency in the name of increased margins seems locked in contention with the fulfillment of the worker, the longevity of the work, and the community or association that give our work purpose.
The fourth chapter does a good job at pointing out the paradoxes that thrive in capitalism, and those inherent to the prevailing theories about how capitalism reformed some way can save us all, even as we continue to feel the increasingly devastating consequences of climate change brought on by the system itself. By pointing out that there are still millions of people in slave like conditions today, and connecting the theme of exploitation in the global south for the benefit of the global north to the view that capitalism thrives when suffering it causes is pushed out of sight, Saitō encourages us to remember that capitalism only runs one way, toward growth, while the natural world and nature are cyclical. This is a tenant of Saitō’s repeated claims about the obvious state of things and leads to the natural conclusion that the two things cannot be reconciled.
In the fifth chapter Saitō invites us to abandon the idea that communism looks like Soviet Russia or modern China. These are not real examples of sustainable communism or degrowth communism to Saito, but rather political capitalism or state controlled capitalism. While these states may or may not have delivered material benefits to people in the name of communism, they almost certainly operated within the overall capitalist system of the globe to do so. Before giving a final
nail in the coffin and providing a detailed breakdown of the limitations of the welfare state, which is arguably seen as the current remedy for societal inequality, Saitō does something interesting. He says that Marx was not actually on the side of state capitalism in his later life, favoring anti-reification or de-commodification instead. An example of this that he provides is that associations like unions and clubs have long provided mutual aid outside capitalism and existed before the nation state in its current form.
In the final chapter, Saitō connects his conceptualization of Marx as eco-conscious in his work criticizing capitalism to older examples of communal lifestyle, and how they might work in the modern era. By providing examples of life in decentralized and egalitarian life in antiquity, life around the era of industrialization, the short-lived Paris commune, and modern cities involved in a movement known as “municipalism”, the book is rounded out on a hopeful and pragmatic tone. It could leave a familiar reader of Marx with a deeper sense and faith of his work’s ability to sustain leftist conversations in the modern era, or bring green and eco forward folks who might not be as familiar with Marx as others into more politically theoretical realms.
Thank you to #AstraHouse and #NetGalley for this ARC of #CapitalFromZero
More detailed review **with spoilers** below!!
______________________________________________________
Chapters 1 and 2 are introductions to some basic concepts on Marx but what I love about the framing is that Saitō does such a great job at weaving constant themes together across the book. So while the reader is learning or being primed for concepts like Enclosure as Privatization, the themes of nature, the natural world, and the byline that Marx has given us the clues to solve the ecological problems of our times are present and feel stylistically pleasant. The concept of use-value vs. value is a big one here in my opinion because it comes up later, in relation to the fairy tales of consumerism, as well as imagining a world post-capitalism (where use-value comes out on top). The second chapter does a great job of connecting all that concept stuff to our real lives we live today (or know of at least), again showcasing Saitō’s compelling ability to frame his argument so well. This is rounded out by the first of a few concrete calls Saitō makes throughout the text on how we could immediately change the world for the better and oppose the capitalist structure, by shortening the workday over raising wages. The idea is solid, it avoids the pitfall counterpoint to the “raised wages means raised prices” strategy but still gives more power to the worker by giving them back more of their time, which as he points out, gives the worker more time to envision how to resist capitalism. Although the average reader of this book is probably not the blue-collar worker that the author talks about so often in his examples, it is again a great framing tool to the audience that would read this.
In the third chapter, Saitō says the first two chapters have been about manipulation of the worker through commodity, and manipulation of the worker through the capitalist movement. This chapter will be about manipulation of the worker by machine or the modes of production. Saitō provides examples through time of capitalism repeatedly alienating the worker from the enjoyable aspects of their work. From the replacement of Guilds across Europe to streamlined Taylorism - the drive for profit and efficiency in the name of increased margins seems locked in contention with the fulfillment of the worker, the longevity of the work, and the community or association that give our work purpose.
The fourth chapter does a good job at pointing out the paradoxes that thrive in capitalism, and those inherent to the prevailing theories about how capitalism reformed some way can save us all, even as we continue to feel the increasingly devastating consequences of climate change brought on by the system itself. By pointing out that there are still millions of people in slave like conditions today, and connecting the theme of exploitation in the global south for the benefit of the global north to the view that capitalism thrives when suffering it causes is pushed out of sight, Saitō encourages us to remember that capitalism only runs one way, toward growth, while the natural world and nature are cyclical. This is a tenant of Saitō’s repeated claims about the obvious state of things and leads to the natural conclusion that the two things cannot be reconciled.
In the fifth chapter Saitō invites us to abandon the idea that communism looks like Soviet Russia or modern China. These are not real examples of sustainable communism or degrowth communism to Saito, but rather political capitalism or state controlled capitalism. While these states may or may not have delivered material benefits to people in the name of communism, they almost certainly operated within the overall capitalist system of the globe to do so. Before giving a final
nail in the coffin and providing a detailed breakdown of the limitations of the welfare state, which is arguably seen as the current remedy for societal inequality, Saitō does something interesting. He says that Marx was not actually on the side of state capitalism in his later life, favoring anti-reification or de-commodification instead. An example of this that he provides is that associations like unions and clubs have long provided mutual aid outside capitalism and existed before the nation state in its current form.
In the final chapter, Saitō connects his conceptualization of Marx as eco-conscious in his work criticizing capitalism to older examples of communal lifestyle, and how they might work in the modern era. By providing examples of life in decentralized and egalitarian life in antiquity, life around the era of industrialization, the short-lived Paris commune, and modern cities involved in a movement known as “municipalism”, the book is rounded out on a hopeful and pragmatic tone. It could leave a familiar reader of Marx with a deeper sense and faith of his work’s ability to sustain leftist conversations in the modern era, or bring green and eco forward folks who might not be as familiar with Marx as others into more politically theoretical realms.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC!
It is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism." - Fredric Jameson
Kōhei Saitō is a real one. I thoroughly enjoyed this reframing and modern examination of Marx's Capital. As a casual reader of political and economic nonfiction, I do believe that a general familiarity with Marx's conceptual framework of the political economy will do wonders for readers eager to jump into this work. Books such as Confronting Capitalism by Vivek Chibber and Marx for Beginners by Rius are two titles that make the source material approachable for the casual economic student. Of course, one can read Capital or The Communist Manifesto, but that can feel like jumping into shark infested waters in a meat suit if you're new to political/economic theory: it feels like being eaten alive.
Saitō takes key concepts from Marx's Capital: worker well-being and autonomy, the commodification of labor, the reinterpretation of wealth as a collection of commodities, and how the capitalist system is by design extractive and harmful, and he uses modern examples to illustrate Marxist theory in practice. It's eye opening to realize that these observations and critiques first made by Marx over 150 years ago continue to hold deep significance. Covering a range of topics like artificial intelligence, overconsumption guided by our desire for immediate gratification, our modern disposability mindset, Saitō actively brings Marx into the modern era. By the 50% mark, I was interested in whether Saitō would address how Communism was functionally deployed in prominent political economies like China and Russia. In other words, "we've seen that Communism is the boogeyman and creates dictatorships, not democratic havens, rife with violent repression, hunger, and poverty." Indeed, this is an argument he tackles with intelligence and a bit of cheek. Hint: what ended up being deployed in places like China and Russia wasn't Communism - it was nationalized socialism in capitalist markets!
I personally found this refreshing and immensely smart. I was excited to listen to the audiobook, and it cemented my desire to get a physical copy for a second reading. Overall, Capitalism From Zero is approachable for the informed economics or political theory reader, even with it's occasional deviations into technicalities where necessary.
It is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism." - Fredric Jameson
Kōhei Saitō is a real one. I thoroughly enjoyed this reframing and modern examination of Marx's Capital. As a casual reader of political and economic nonfiction, I do believe that a general familiarity with Marx's conceptual framework of the political economy will do wonders for readers eager to jump into this work. Books such as Confronting Capitalism by Vivek Chibber and Marx for Beginners by Rius are two titles that make the source material approachable for the casual economic student. Of course, one can read Capital or The Communist Manifesto, but that can feel like jumping into shark infested waters in a meat suit if you're new to political/economic theory: it feels like being eaten alive.
Saitō takes key concepts from Marx's Capital: worker well-being and autonomy, the commodification of labor, the reinterpretation of wealth as a collection of commodities, and how the capitalist system is by design extractive and harmful, and he uses modern examples to illustrate Marxist theory in practice. It's eye opening to realize that these observations and critiques first made by Marx over 150 years ago continue to hold deep significance. Covering a range of topics like artificial intelligence, overconsumption guided by our desire for immediate gratification, our modern disposability mindset, Saitō actively brings Marx into the modern era. By the 50% mark, I was interested in whether Saitō would address how Communism was functionally deployed in prominent political economies like China and Russia. In other words, "we've seen that Communism is the boogeyman and creates dictatorships, not democratic havens, rife with violent repression, hunger, and poverty." Indeed, this is an argument he tackles with intelligence and a bit of cheek. Hint: what ended up being deployed in places like China and Russia wasn't Communism - it was nationalized socialism in capitalist markets!
I personally found this refreshing and immensely smart. I was excited to listen to the audiobook, and it cemented my desire to get a physical copy for a second reading. Overall, Capitalism From Zero is approachable for the informed economics or political theory reader, even with it's occasional deviations into technicalities where necessary.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kohei Saito explains in a very accessible way the thoughts and views of Karl Marx. I have always been intimidated to read Marx’s Capital but after reading Capital from Zero, I feel like I have a good basic foundational understanding for the ideology of Marxism. Saito brought the concept’s of Marx into the 21st century by using his writing’s to show how Marx’s views evolved and then compared them to events in today’s world. The no-nonsense approach helped me realize the positions of Marx and other philosophers regarding capitalism are really not so extreme if at all. Who can argue that our wold is hurting because of the constant need to deregulate so corporations can keep growing beyond the necessary means. Most everything discussed seems so obvious as it is explained. For one, capitalism’s number one goal is making money and having it grow continuously. So there is no way the health of the environment would ever take precedent over what is best for the shareholders even if that means worsening of environmental factors.
One thing that Saito brought up that I had never even thought of was the idea that capitalism and the need to be efficient with your time leads to more service industries like Uber Eats and Instacart to pop up. Which in turn, since your time is worth more working, volunteering for things like PTA, local festivals, or even helping family and friends become a thing of the past. Communities are no longer a thing because everyone is just trying to work enough to pay for the bills that are necessary to survive. It is not sustainable. In a capitalistic society no one’s basic needs are guaranteed. As Marx says, workers are always facing the risk of being potentially poor.
Capital from Zero was an enlightening read that was very thought-provoking. Marx’s views will not fix everything but I feel his ideas and thoughts could be useful in solving a lot of economic and social problems. If nothing else, this book helps to highlight when people mislabel what Marxism represents.
Thank you, Kohei Saito and Astra Publishing House for providing this e-ARC via NetGalley for review.
One thing that Saito brought up that I had never even thought of was the idea that capitalism and the need to be efficient with your time leads to more service industries like Uber Eats and Instacart to pop up. Which in turn, since your time is worth more working, volunteering for things like PTA, local festivals, or even helping family and friends become a thing of the past. Communities are no longer a thing because everyone is just trying to work enough to pay for the bills that are necessary to survive. It is not sustainable. In a capitalistic society no one’s basic needs are guaranteed. As Marx says, workers are always facing the risk of being potentially poor.
Capital from Zero was an enlightening read that was very thought-provoking. Marx’s views will not fix everything but I feel his ideas and thoughts could be useful in solving a lot of economic and social problems. If nothing else, this book helps to highlight when people mislabel what Marxism represents.
Thank you, Kohei Saito and Astra Publishing House for providing this e-ARC via NetGalley for review.
July 21, 2026
Thank you Astra for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
Kohei Saito’s Capital From Zero: Reading Marx in the Age of Climate Catastrophe is both timely and accessible. Though designed at its core as an introduction to Marx in an effort to make his work more approachable, this volume is valuable for readers with varied purpose, current stance on political theory, or familiarity with Marx. For those wanting to understand some of the terms being thrown around in political debates — such as capitalism, socialism, communism, neoliberalism, association etc. — Saito breaks down these concepts in layman’s terms. He thoughtfully outlines the viewpoints of not only Marx, but other important philosophers as well. This allows the reader to confidently participate in future discussions in a more knowledgable way, come to their own decisions whether they ascribe to some of the negative connotations attached to some of these terms, and whether some of the ideas may be a path forward, either in piece or in whole. It is a compelling standalone read for anyone just beginning to contemplate an option other than capitalism, as well as an excellent springboard for those planning to read Marx’s work.
Read more of my book reviews here...
https://fortandfield.blogspot.com/202...
Kohei Saito’s Capital From Zero: Reading Marx in the Age of Climate Catastrophe is both timely and accessible. Though designed at its core as an introduction to Marx in an effort to make his work more approachable, this volume is valuable for readers with varied purpose, current stance on political theory, or familiarity with Marx. For those wanting to understand some of the terms being thrown around in political debates — such as capitalism, socialism, communism, neoliberalism, association etc. — Saito breaks down these concepts in layman’s terms. He thoughtfully outlines the viewpoints of not only Marx, but other important philosophers as well. This allows the reader to confidently participate in future discussions in a more knowledgable way, come to their own decisions whether they ascribe to some of the negative connotations attached to some of these terms, and whether some of the ideas may be a path forward, either in piece or in whole. It is a compelling standalone read for anyone just beginning to contemplate an option other than capitalism, as well as an excellent springboard for those planning to read Marx’s work.
Read more of my book reviews here...
https://fortandfield.blogspot.com/202...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read Marx in grad school (a freaking decade ago somehow), and while this is technically meant to be an introduction to Capital, I still feel like I got a lot out of it. Saito's writing is very clear, and I feel like I got a lot more out of Marx than I did when I was actually being taught it. While the subtitle says this is about Marx "in the Age of Climate Change," I didn't feel like there was enough of a focus on that to deserve the subtitle. Regardless, I highly recommend this for anyone interested in understanding the concepts of Marx. And while the content is somewhat complicated, this is not a book that is too dense to be read in audio format.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fascinating read. Kōhei Saitō simplifies Marx's Capital and also corrects the historical record on some of Marx's thinking with the benefit of some of his newly-available unpublished writings. It really is astonishing how prescient Marx appeared to be back then, looking at where we are now. Saitō also explains where the purported "communism" of the Soviet Union and China went wrong, and why those failures should not be enough to consign communist/socialist thought to the dustbin of history, especially as we face a future of climate uncertainty. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Netgalley and Astra provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Netgalley and Astra provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to netgally and the publisher for an advanced audio book copy of this book.
I've had a copy of Capital sitting on my shelf for years and I have been too timid to read it, but after reading this book I feel that I can definitely give it a try.
The author breaks down several of the topics discussed in the first volume of Capital by Marx and interpreted his understanding of what Marx ment in modern day terms while still relating it to the events of the past. I will definitely be reading the authors previous book on this subject and I recommend you read both as well.
I've had a copy of Capital sitting on my shelf for years and I have been too timid to read it, but after reading this book I feel that I can definitely give it a try.
The author breaks down several of the topics discussed in the first volume of Capital by Marx and interpreted his understanding of what Marx ment in modern day terms while still relating it to the events of the past. I will definitely be reading the authors previous book on this subject and I recommend you read both as well.
June 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra House for this ARC.
Capital From Zero is part reading guide, part reinterpretation of Marx's Capital, and part introduction to the concept of degrowth. Kohei Saito takes ideas that can often feel intimidating or inaccessible and presents them in a way that feels surprisingly approachable.
I was excited to read this one, and thankfully it lived up to my expectations. One of the things I appreciated most was Saito's willingness to challenge some of the common assumptions people have about Marx and his beliefs. So much public discussion tends to revolve around The Communist Manifesto, while Capital often gets overlooked, and Saito does a great job explaining why that matters.
The writing is clear, engaging, and refreshingly free of excessive jargon. Economics and political theory books can sometimes feel tough to get through, but that wasn't the case here. I especially appreciated how Saito frequently stepped away from Marx's text to provide historical context and real-world examples. Those moments helped ground the material and made it much easier to follow.
I think this would work well for readers who have always been curious about Capital but felt intimidated by it, as well as those looking for a refresher on Marx's ideas. It also serves as a solid introduction to degrowth for anyone interested in learning more about the concept.
Capital From Zero is part reading guide, part reinterpretation of Marx's Capital, and part introduction to the concept of degrowth. Kohei Saito takes ideas that can often feel intimidating or inaccessible and presents them in a way that feels surprisingly approachable.
I was excited to read this one, and thankfully it lived up to my expectations. One of the things I appreciated most was Saito's willingness to challenge some of the common assumptions people have about Marx and his beliefs. So much public discussion tends to revolve around The Communist Manifesto, while Capital often gets overlooked, and Saito does a great job explaining why that matters.
The writing is clear, engaging, and refreshingly free of excessive jargon. Economics and political theory books can sometimes feel tough to get through, but that wasn't the case here. I especially appreciated how Saito frequently stepped away from Marx's text to provide historical context and real-world examples. Those moments helped ground the material and made it much easier to follow.
I think this would work well for readers who have always been curious about Capital but felt intimidated by it, as well as those looking for a refresher on Marx's ideas. It also serves as a solid introduction to degrowth for anyone interested in learning more about the concept.
Review of advance copy
This book is just wacky. Some parts of it are good but simple but some of the conclusions he reaches are just strange.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews