hapter 7
momen heey so He int
Maxis Hunnlnidls, bsmgshke, Mompitre < fyeore OR
pe ed. *
ARMUIO MAGE z
(pphiked Sime.
One ofthe paradoxical outcomes ofthe collapse ofthe Soviet Union was
theeevivalot Maram, No longer were Marsitd esponsible fo sas
fol the Soviet Empite, the debate had shifted fous to analyze less how
ocildid or work buchov global apitaliom fing, Global cap
tals has devloped a system of production that inolves sweatshops,
‘oucourcng and temporary employment. The Its financial crisis bas
Sco the reversal of roe maker principles with counties hailing out and
‘nationalizing banks, Wars ae being ought over ol with she Middle Fas
fd in Conteal Asia In some lane cites mansions are protected by
Private security fem whi slime are Tet with ndown pli sevice
‘The environment ts polluted and faces the efforts of climate change.
Finally hestruglebeowcen label and digenoos clare iesaleng io
Toss of languages, bu also opportunities for solidarity Next me you
tts your local bookshop wines the predominance of books on thse
‘Sones that Marasts would interpret at stemming from global epi
‘Mos ofthe wetes of these books are by no means Maris, but we can
sce how Marsism, ia tems of the questions posts has become the
‘common sense of ea eet (Haliday, 1994).
“Antonio Grams, the Hain Marast, preferred "good sense to
“common sense’, that is, he sae Rood sense as something achieved
though analysis wheres common sensei bestowed pave Is nat
{dfculeofind someone at andom who wll agree thar thestate ste 6
‘dominased by greedy politicians, ars ae fought over esouees and that
‘national eulres dominated by outside powers. As they stand; des ate
§teas of opinion around the role ofthe state, warfare, ad cutat, For
‘Marxist, the transformation of common fens’ into “good sense
‘chieved through analysts. In other words, sein through the srface to
Ss ondelpng reality i fundamental
‘Marx contemporary aac is extensive. In ths chaper we will
leave aside the most Tandaatensl aspect of Maram ea politcal pac-
thee namely, emancipatory projet and facie instead on the range of
polccal analysis that offer. Th chapter bens by looking at Marys
136
Frock Dosh Poh y bem hit Ber
‘20K7:1 Some contemporary Mandst perspectives
ol cman ‘The soon of dar or ai otis
st pall onan
Nationalism The robles of nati bs been the main probe for
‘gts tn te snsceattmy Bee Ando 000 taka a
icc coca peeettig es inc ameecikaceese reat
Birocebe, drdetdecnraghnseainrers
‘moana
‘State formation Barrington Moor J (1966) angues that different class
‘ojmacon and lignes race fests af ates,
Fen Metis Wood (2003), She age
inpotat pobegaee :
Won Sytm Thesey The world sytem dominated bythe cre and tx
hi withthe periphery. The om pcr lays a inet
‘le Accntnges Waren [2004 cls beween hese ee
"ees donated bytes penis
‘Space David Hacrey (2006) and Henei Lefebvre (1991) contend that
fogeaphi space cuca tthe wokige of cx and labour
‘erstrtstion sndrerstxigaton ply ssiaketea lao al
seory of politcal economy trough the Communist Manifesto in 1848 ro
“mining heortial development around deface of 2008-9,
"en we shlleonsder Marxist those internatonal rations centring,ae
‘on the eationsipbesweon capital, the tate and the interstate
‘stem. The unfolding of the lraq War wil be wed ss cave tad ttt
rious Marat acct ofthe mesa for Gonge Bas American
{overnnet an going owt Marsa werkrin comparative plies Sp
Ely question he inherent loam of the original Matest mode. An
‘ramination of contemporary Marxist comparns of ations, sae,
levpraphic boundaries andealtres mot of which arecmpreal~ wil
eased against the orginal plbal model of Marusn. Mam, 5 We
‘hall sce m the areas of sebum politics and eur stds, bas rete
‘ew approaches nithn 2 broad Marsan rameworkthat bothstengthen|
Sndcomplicate undeding concepts
"Martism in general eramines how capitalism operates a sci,
conomic and politcal level ad thecby aft sod is ated by the
ole of the sae international relations, spatial lations and cate
‘Marm stems rom the secular Enlightenment and ie based on founds
‘Sonal ontology, meaning i this stance ha the sence o eps o
‘ty of Marsa tsk to decover the eaence of eapital ax opowed tt
Sppeatance Essences based on what happenin he real word wi for
‘rample, capital explting labour power i ode to make roi. This
Stand i sark conta to mere appearance mth cpl the market)
epised ological and jut. Epstemologiall, Marxism secs the emp
{cclencavaion of reality based through close attention to history tnd
‘aera, to dscover the links between soca economic and poll
Iie oe Bor. 1)-Thsequeea dalrical approach eit avaving
Aynamc,tansformasive and the contradictory natu of scial ex
‘ence. Some contemporary Marxists mains the orignal demand for
feznd shear we eter cll for laity of approaches funded on
‘verse epstemologies and meodolopes:
‘The continuing relevance of Marxism: From
‘Communist Manifesto to No Logo
Iris important to understand how Marxism wat formed in order to
tindertand is development and cvoluton, According to classical
Marni captain introduces complenentary and contrary (that
alec lationship between wage labour and capt Thi el
‘Sonhip is extabinhedhrowph inking he mean of prodecton hat
[abound echaoogy In arh, this process was subject reaions of
production and exchange, dchined aarowiy ar the organizational
erngemenss or crculaton of commodities. A broader detaion othe
{clason of prodocon andexchange relate tothe many seamen of
production ch labour conerat, maining agreements 040
“slivery of goods, managing the ieactons between producer and
sumer bat aso 0 sn economic snd politcal foes more feel
Ais most bas, captalmorgasaed 2 woxMorce which was re 0
work and po paid. Foe Macs tht ae bat erating and ppeesine
works had the reedomo choose betwen jobs bt they lade sl
‘hee abo power spy pt at ar you wl hae ny eieren job
‘n your working fe you wi ssp ling your labour power
In The Communist Manfesto of 1848 Marx od Eagle wrote: "Tae
Inston ofall hitherto exis sociey hasbeen testo of cass sta
He? Marais begins witha cipal mode of development 2 the plobsl
lerel within system of explotation that sustaies but paradoxically
Uindermins ie Capitalism srees within sytem of production that
sed exits namely feudal; capilsm Becomes the new system of
‘las explovtation For Mar, capitalism was confined = handl of
“oun the West but it would spread worldwide and eg pea
‘altmode of production andexplosation. Capitalism war preted by
the ave mode of production. The Yea yee of indus (Tucker,
1978473} with pope labour pd national markers ws surpaseed by
‘ boureoisie demanding wap abou apd acco global makers. The
bourgeoisie continual changes th inruments of procs’ (Takes,
1978:476) wih marvellous achievement tite though forthe come:
quences. The Commantt Manifesto ea hymn the bourgeoisie aod
rates tremendous accomplishment ealbosevesasa warning about
the growing power of wage labosr with socialism and communis
portage a the mxe eo agen ior.
His important orale har Marx wanted ofall cal capitalism
Inodace inc every quarter ofthe le’ (Tacke, 1978: 476) He had
le ime for those seeking 2 nostalg return oan imagined past (oe
‘example, Od Money procasming superiority over New Money) o foe
‘aris fms of socialism that offer onl corm o pia For Mats,
‘ees imperative tha the Bourgeois phbaled the economy Ths would
“reat the cotraditions that would lend to an isternationl working
las coming to power Most importa, the wocking class Would be
fnliguened ae 3 rol of ete ine wage labour ander the oneaney
‘hanging political and economic Condon extabied by abana
Sm ke Man aad ges woe
Constant revoltonning of production, unintrrupted disturbance of
alloca condions, eveatinguncesint and agitation Singh
‘he bourgecs epoch fom all ater nes. Al ine fast roren rea
‘ons ith the tam of ancient and venerable peades and =
tow, ae swept aay al pewformed ons become atiguated btore
they can os Alltharssoldenesintosiallthar tbl profane,sndmanis tlt compel face with aber senseshisrel condition
fle and hic relations wis Kind (Cd in Toke, 1978-476)
Here Max linked socio-economic relations experienced trough wage
Iabou to Ealghtenment Mess about doing away with supesion
people would be ‘compelled a face with ser rene there condiion
fife: iret cxlastston of the worktore thereto stripped the fle
‘Soncipberween dominant and subordinated cat of any excuae other
than bate reason, The worker was not being exploweddueto infront
‘or reiio (Tecker, 1978475), bat asa esa of eling labour powe it
= competiv station, Tati: the bourgeoisie produces eapatal rough
‘xplting labour dec Ara resale Marx prised the bourgeoisie foe
{ntatings socio economiesytem in Wich allthat slid melts nai
{Tuckes197% 476) Reason, mane ar expt, tans that everything
‘an be bough an old within he mare, troducng uncertain abd
Stason in social ile wah everyone forced to adape‘on pan of extn
ton? Tucker, 1978-477),
Tnsome ways tranlatng these inl lime about plies economy
in 1848 to cece’ event in the ety 215 century sands hereto tme
[though clas seogae' is ical to measure Beyond the rational
foleof strikes and mass demonstration, recent evens in Europe, the
‘America and Asia sungest tata lene tis form of protests key
‘ominue The comention that the working cls has appeared (made
‘Gor, 1983} based on examining tee within Westen counties
‘her an global tends and wally tlt to inurl workers. Alex
lnc (1989: 125) tated tae the percentage of industrial wakes
[aduen ts labs sesley more rece Higres (IL, 2009) confirm that
‘in 2008 tre ilo peopl, o 61 pr cnt ofthe population were wage
‘worker. This represents a miorEctease intl term over 2007
Wihileseetru tha the majority of wage workers within the West donot
ome from the manufacturing working class hs asi fee erm
‘feaptalit explotation (Calhmcos, 1989: 127), and in new arenas of
Sod ssh shore reserved frcanul pare-ime apd mire about
Tithe contemporary content we see captalism survive of precapt-
is foc of exponation, in the wort cats slavery to ne form of
tplostation sch at asalzation. This has heen documented by Naot
iein (2001, whone poplar bas No Lag helped form the corporate
‘nti globlization movement In thi book she bighlghs how Nore
‘Amerasimultancusy expos ow paid about domestically andiower
paid labour sheoad optasing mich wneafe work paces. This nals
oul explain why eaptalhas been atacted o Chin i provides alge
Tabour force which slowly paid no independent ade utons and usa
‘work condone The wage labourer Chisa now has the Weedon t0
‘choot amongst jobs availabe and to leave thelnd sod live in big cies,
uth eed ited by both the power of the stand capa
Howeve nbourers mast spend more of thariacome oo esource that
‘were previously fee, de to increasing disparities ia income within
Chinese
‘Ding the financial crisis of 2008-9 wat aot dificult argue that,
cpialam continues tsffer rom oer prduction and oer invent
“The global economy i presemed bythe mala ost autence as mathe
smal purl ha individual of households most eave praca
[News ominteret ratlevl, he stock market and busines pores high
light the need to aves financial dvs, fot hone whe ca ford one
‘The dtbation oleae a sophisticated form of aking second dp
into the surplus (Beyan, 2008) Oras Maes himel put tone a worker
‘a5 pad he would test upon by “he landlord, the shopkeeper he
avabroke (Tuckey 1978: 499) Farther, n examining the ole of
Sates, it is undeniable that daring severe ees they ball out financial
insarons,pationaie them exporaiy and the case ofthe Usted
States, spend mone to rave automate Companies ranks. From the
peropetveaclassal Matis, the state aempttomanage the fie
‘feaptalsm by eaking action ores global depession,
Continuing problems in Marxism
Mans’ univer tems demyriy the oe of capital and labour ae
‘ella ate and interstate lations conated with tory haved
‘heores portrayed i The Cod Wars Bramce (Mart 1871) of The
ExghicentsBromareof Lous Bonaparte, 1852), Tat works
del wits how the French state with ts peor Duresuracy deal th
tothe French bourgeois and an emerging French worksng clase In
other words the state hada degre of autonomy which Mars work
‘res bat aledeonclade here. Three points remade win
‘Mar politcal economy whicheonnue wo dog ater Marit
First the den that capralinm r condemaed o over podaction and
cies nroduced ene of automat or nentably thi ae.
Kees van deri (2007625) has put: One of the mtaen often made
Jsco assume hat capitals development drives forward socalieation
“bjectiey bo shat, at Some point, only the apical shell has to be
emoved and we have thefinshel inet of soit saciry™
Economie development cil society and the sate move acording £0
{elated bat eeparatedcimssons. Daring the Pst World Wan, the
Bolherks were able vo seize power ina pect of are reakown it
essa wile their Westen counterparts aly and Germany wereme
unable to repeat his because of sate sength in both couse. alan
‘ommunst leader Antonio Grams called for more reconnasnane
‘atonal suations with greater aensonto polit oer
Thera of communis parts prodacng radical change has ended with
enon tured owt loot nd more naive calves the an
‘corporate lobalaation movement rary, capt s dominated
by explotation, ducovery of new markets and evelopment of aew
Iatruments of production and his sytem «eater unintentional
‘outcomes duct overproduction. Athi age, Mas described he ea
tals a the sorcerer deprivd oft powers, Yet the solution fr these
{ists oversnvetment and over produeoyin tpl devalaaon of
‘pital labour and prices seer the seed of eee ae wii the
‘iisitel? (Desa, 3002-77 tn fae, Mars (1867) sn Capt! wondered
‘wheter apts is designedofll ara rea oferta contradictions,
{i capalism bs automat powers of sgeneration This bung inthe
‘uestion of apency Bab Jessops 2002, 2008 development o the seat
{He-eatioal approach allows us to understand Now "tuctre and
$eeney’ works foutinely but also in these sot of crn: Structures ate
thereby treated analytically av strategcallyselcive in thet fom,
onten,and operation; and actions are ikewie seated as actualy
‘onsraned, more or les context env an seturia
‘Second, the aaion state x portrayed 3 the Execnve Commitee
managing the afar of the bourgeois, with Limited options fr the
‘workings itervene aa progres aon This declaration oes
‘ot fare well under compass. How ean Maris explain nation states
Improving or impairing) the condos af workers in counties Ike
Sweden or Brazil? One way st cxamine the nate of ling comiions
at the national evel by engapng in comparative analysis: However,
Praeworski (1986) uses hs approach anally mgs tha soi
democracy ithe est shat labour could Bop ford, n pt, tft
thar full scale socialism would see imernational dstwestent,
Patadosiclly this argument enforces Mars’ ies othe tied oe of
states within the international sytem, Politics reduced to a mere