Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto

終結不平等救地球，經濟需要棄成長與減速

資本主義基於產品價值而非實用性來追求利潤，置永續成長於
一切之上，導致人造稀缺。

當代馬克思主義學者齋藤幸平倡議棄成長和減速：終結大規模生產和消費；縮短勞動工時實現脫碳化;優先考慮基本勞動而非企業利潤。
他引巴塞隆納為例，呼籲以地方、城市為主導，採取脫碳行動。

專注於對人類生活至關重要的活動。我們仍有機會扭轉氣候變化拯救地球。

"Saito’s clarity of thought, plethora of evidence, and conversational, gentle, yet urgent tone . . . are sure to win over open-minded readers who understand the dire nature of our global. . . . A cogently structured anti-capitalist approach to the climate crisis."
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Why, in our affluent society, do so many people live in poverty, without access to health care, working multiple jobs and are nevertheless unable to make ends meet, with no future prospects, while the planet is burning?

In his international bestseller, Kohei Saito argues that while unfettered capitalism is often blamed for inequality and climate change, subsequent calls for “sustainable growth” and a “Green New Deal” are a dangerous compromise. Capitalism creates artificial scarcity by pursuing profit based on the value of products rather than their usefulness and by putting perpetual growth above all else. It is therefore impossible to reverse climate change in a capitalist society—more: the system that caused the problem in the first place cannot be an integral part of the solution.

Instead, Saito advocates for degrowth and deceleration, which he conceives as the slowing of economic activity through the democratic reform of labor and production. In practical terms, he argues for:

the end of mass production and mass consumption
decarbonization through shorter working hours
the prioritization of essential labor over corporate profits

By returning to a system of social ownership, he argues, we can restore abundance and focus on those activities that are essential for human life, effectively reversing climate change and saving the planet.