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What is capitalism? I do not know if the answer to it is too obvious or, on the contrary, too difficult; but in any case, it is a question that is not often asked head on. In economics, it was asked in the past when Marxist economics held some sway, but now that Marxism has largely been dispensed with, capitalism is simply equated with the market economy, and only the behavior of goods and services in the market is analyzed.
 
This book, then, is a collaborative effort by researchers in different fields to reexamine this question. The title, Capitalism for Human Co-becoming, refers to the evolution of capitalism and its future direction. Specifically, the book identifies three stages of capitalism, starting with the stage in which the main driving force was the production of goods followed by a stage in which the main concern was differences in “events,” which led to the stage focused on the enrichment of human and non-human lives. The goal, after overcoming anthropocentrism, is the achievement of prosperity in terms of lifestyle and not wealth in the sense of GDP. It proposes that human beings should be redefined in terms of the process of becoming human together with others (human co-becoming), which is different from simply being human. The list of contributors affiliated with the University of Tokyo includes the editor, Takahiro Nakajima (professor, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia), Tomoji Onozuka (specially appointed professor, Faculty of Economics), Shinji Nohara (associate professor, Faculty of Economics), and Kōichiro Kokubun (professor, College of Arts and Sciences).
 
The book is divided into 11 chapters in which each discussant reexamines capitalism from their own perspective, followed by a discussion among contributors to deepen the debate. For example, Professor Onozuka analyzes the positive and negative aspects of the association model from the perspective of economic history. Recently, associations are once again in the limelight due to a reexamination of Marx; in this context, it is important to pay particularly close attention to the negative aspects. Associate professor Nohara criticizes the ideal “economic man” (Homo economicus) that is assumed in the economics from the perspective of studies on Adam Smith and argues that Smith’s affirmation of the fulfillment of desires guided the way to overcoming the feudalistic class system. Relying on Gilles Deleuze, Professor Kokubun presents interesting perspectives such as taxation being the origin of money and public ownership being the source of private ownership.
 
The book also presents other indispensable discussions on today’s capitalism, such those on the recombination of economy and morality by Professor Yoshinori Hiroi (Kyoto University) and on degrowth by Project Associate Professor Yoshihiro Nakano (Rikkyo University). This book offers stimulating discussions for those who want to think about capitalism outside of the framework of economics.
 

(Written by NAKAJIMA Takahiro, Professor, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia / 2024)

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