Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen - Late Capitalist Fascism

1 Cover

2 Series Page Theory Redux series Series editor: Laurent de Sutter Mark Alizart, Cryptocommunism Armen Avanessian, Future Metaphysics Franco Berardi, The Second Coming Alfie Bown, The Playstation Dreamworld Laurent de Sutter, Narcocapitalism Roberto Esposito, Persons and Things Graham Harman, Immaterialism Helen Hester, Xenofeminism Srećko Horvat, The Radicality of Love Lorenzo Marsili, Planetary Politics Dominic Pettman, Infinite Distraction Eloy Fernández Porta, Nomography Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen, Late Capitalist Fascism Nick Srnicek, Platform Capitalism

3 Title Page Late Capitalist Fascism Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen polity

4 Copyright Copyright © Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen 2022 The right of Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published in 2022 by Polity Press Polity Press 65 Bridge Street Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK Polity Press 101 Station Landing Suite 300 Medford, MA 02155, USA All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-4745-6 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Control Number: 2021938608 The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate. Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition. For further information on Polity, visit our website: politybooks.com

5 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements Thanks to J. M. Bernstein, James Day, Carsten Juhl, Esther Leslie, Gene Ray, Dominique Routhier, Katarina Stenbeck and Marcello Tarì. Plus Laurent de Sutter and John Thompson.

6 Epigraph The simple fact of being without reply has given to the false an entirely new quality. At a stroke it is truth which has almost everywhere ceased to exist or, at best, has been reduced to the status of pure hypothesis that can never be demonstrated. Guy Debord The ultimate aim of fascism is the complete destruction of all revolutionary consciousness. George Jackson

7 Introduction Notes

8 1 Late Capitalism as Crisis The financial crisis The contradictions of late capitalism The collapse of politics All the same Disorder Authoritarian capitalism and counter-insurgency Notes

9 2 The Fascist Spectacle Fascist pop politics False promises everywhere The leader-brander Micro-politics All identities Online fascism Marxist hunters and lone wolves Creeping fascism The thinness of fascism Notes

10 End User License Agreement

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

3 Series Page

4 Title Page Late Capitalist Fascism Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen polity

5 Copyright Copyright © Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen 2022 The right of Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published in 2022 by Polity Press Polity Press 65 Bridge Street Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK Polity Press 101 Station Landing Suite 300 Medford, MA 02155, USA All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-4745-6 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Control Number: 2021938608 The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate. Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition. For further information on Polity, visit our website: politybooks.com

6 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements Thanks to J. M. Bernstein, James Day, Carsten Juhl, Esther Leslie, Gene Ray, Dominique Routhier, Katarina Stenbeck and Marcello Tarì. Plus Laurent de Sutter and John Thompson.

7 Epigraph The simple fact of being without reply has given to the false an entirely new quality. At a stroke it is truth which has almost everywhere ceased to exist or, at best, has been reduced to the status of pure hypothesis that can never be demonstrated. Guy Debord The ultimate aim of fascism is the complete destruction of all revolutionary consciousness. George Jackson

8 Introduction

9 Begin Reading

10 End User License Agreement

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Mark Alizart, Cryptocommunism

Armen Avanessian, Future Metaphysics

Franco Berardi, The Second Coming

Alfie Bown, The Playstation Dreamworld

Laurent de Sutter, Narcocapitalism

Roberto Esposito, Persons and Things

Graham Harman, Immaterialism

Helen Hester, Xenofeminism

Srećko Horvat, The Radicality of Love