The Destiny of Crisis: Eco-Socialism or “Degrowth Communism”? — An Examination Centered on Foster and Kohei Saito

How to transcend capitalism and escape the climate crisis of the "Anthropocene" is the theoretical aim of Western ecological Marxism. Prominent contemporary ecological Marxists, John Bellamy Foster and Kohei Saito, regard the capitalist mode of production—driven by expansion and accumulation—as the "original sin" of the ecological crisis. Based on their critiques of technological optimism, ecological imperialism, and degrowth capitalism, they have respectively outlined two ideal alternatives to capitalism: eco-socialism and "degrowth communism", aiming to address the climate crisis of the Anthropocene. The critiques of capitalism's anti-ecological nature and the visions for an ideal future society proposed by Foster and Kohei Saito offer valuable insights for reflecting on the path and future of modern industrial civilization. However, their theories also have limitations, such as insufficient revolutionary potential and potential misinterpretations of Marxism.