Jeremy Gilbert - Twenty-First Century Socialism

1 Cover

2 Front Matter Twenty-First Century Socialism Jeremy Gilbert polity

3 Introduction Introduction This book proposes that a twenty-first-century socialism is the only reasonable solution to the various crises and problems that the world faces today 1 – from social inequality to climate breakdown. In Part I the book sets out to explain what the basic source of those crises and problems is and why ‘socialism’ might be the solution to them. In Part II the book explores in greater detail the specific features and conditions that characterize the world we live in today, from the technological revolution to the capture of our cities by the super-rich. In Part III the book expounds what the specific characteristics of a twenty-first-century socialism would be.

4 Part I Capitalism and Socialism Part I Capitalism and Socialism 1 The Cause of the Trouble The Cause of the Trouble … Capitalism Why Is It Called ‘Capitalism’? A World of Commodities The Capitalist ‘System’ Capitalism or Capitalists? Liberalism and Neoliberalism: The Capitalist Story Notes 2 Why Socialism? The NHS Decommodification: Building the Commons Democratise the World Liberty, Equality, Solidarity Notes

5 Part II Welcome to the Twenty-First Century 3 How Did We Get Here? The Cybernetic Revolution Globalisation and the Postmodern Society The Cultural Revolution The Crisis of Democracy Neoliberal Culture Notes 4 Where Are We Now? Climate Crisis The Changing World of Work Platform Capitalism After the Crash Culture War The Rent’s Too High Notes

6 Part III Twenty-First Century Socialism 5 The Programme A Genealogy of the Future Green Socialism Weakening the Capitalists, Empowering the People The World of Work Countering Capitalist Lies Notes 6 The Strategy Lessons from Failure Who Will Do It? Why Would They Do It? Radical Freedom How Would They Do It? Parties and Movements Building a Movement Notes

7 End User License Agreement

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

3 Introduction Introduction This book proposes that a twenty-first-century socialism is the only reasonable solution to the various crises and problems that the world faces today 1 – from social inequality to climate breakdown. In Part I the book sets out to explain what the basic source of those crises and problems is and why ‘socialism’ might be the solution to them. In Part II the book explores in greater detail the specific features and conditions that characterize the world we live in today, from the technological revolution to the capture of our cities by the super-rich. In Part III the book expounds what the specific characteristics of a twenty-first-century socialism would be.

1 ii

2 iii

3 iv

4 vi

5 vii

6 viii

7 1

8 3

9 5

10 6

11 7

12 8

13 9

14 10

15 11

16 12

17 13

18 14

19 15

20 16

21 17

22 18

23 19

24 20

25 21

26 22

27 23

28 24

29 25

30 26

31 27

32 28

33 29

34 30

35 31

36 32

37 33

38 34

39 35

40 36

41 37

42 38

43 39

44 40

45 41

46 42

47 43

48 44

49 45

50 46

51 47

52 49

53 50

54 51

55 52

56 53

57 54

58 55

59 56

60 57

61 58

62 59

63 60

64 61

65 62

66 63

67 64

68 65

69 66

70 67

71 68

72 69

73 70

74 71

75 72

76 73

77 74

78 75

79 76

80 77

81 78

82 79

83 80

84 81

85 82

86 83

87 84

88 85

89 86

90 87

91 88

92 89

93 90

94 91

95 92

96 93

97 95

98 97

99 98

100 99

101 100

102 101

103 102

104 103

105 104

106 105

107 106

108 107

109 108

110 109

111 110

112 111

113 112

114 113

115 114

116 115

117 116

118 117

119 118

120 119

121 120

122 121

123 122

124 123

125 124

126 125

127 126

128 127

129 128

130 149

Hilary Wainwright, A New Politics from the Left

Graham Jones, The Shock Doctrine of the Left

Gianpaolo Baiocchi, We, the Sovereign

Keir Milburn, Generation Left

Jeremy Gilbert, Twenty-First Century Socialism

Jeremy Gilbert

polity

Copyright © Jeremy Gilbert 2020

The right of Jeremy Gilbert 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 2020 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: 978-1-5095-3657-3

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Gilbert, Jeremy, 1971- author.

Title: Twenty-first century Socialism / Jeremy Gilbert.

Description: Medford : Polity, 2020. | Series: Radical futures | Summary: “In this urgent manifesto for a 21st century left, Jeremy Gilbert shows that we need a revitalised socialist politics that learns from the past to adapt to contemporary challenges”-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019032308 (print) | LCCN 2019032309 (ebook) | ISBN 9781509536559 (hardback) | ISBN 9781509536566 (paperback) | ISBN 9781509536573 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Socialism--History--21st century. | Capitalism--History--21st century. | Populism--History--21st century.

Classification: LCC HX45 .G45 2020 (print) | LCC HX45 (ebook) | DDC 335--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019032308LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019032309

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

This book wasn’t one that I ever expected to write, although I’m glad I have, and it’s only thanks to the persistence and patience of my colleagues at Polity – George Owers and Julia Davies – that it’s come about at all. Keir Milburn and Alex Williams both read and commented on a first draft and were insightful and supportive as ever.