American Socialism Lacks Vision and Plan: Post-Marxist Social Science Can Help

By Steve Clark

As the US Left struggles to define a vision and plan for 21st century socialism, it can benefit from post-Marxist insight in three vital realms: cultural hegemony, class analysis, and state power.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steve Clark
• Release date: Jun 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005639396

Book preview

American Socialism Lacks Vision and Plan

Post-Marxist Social Science Can Help

Steve Clark

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2022 Steve Clark

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

1. Cultural Hegemony: Industrial Eras and Their Social Contracts

2. Class Analysis: Post-Industrial Production and a Service Class-for-Itself

3. State Power: Service Class Politics and Socialism with American Characteristics

Conclusion

About Steve Clark

Preface

At this crucial juncture in world affairs – with climate change compelling a revolutionary re-examination of corporate capitalism – the inspiration and direction of a Left North Star in American politics is essential.

Unfortunately, today’s US Left, laboring with Marxist theory that has been stagnant for more than a century, cannot project a useful vision of American socialism. Nor can it see its way ahead. Until this flaw is corrected, the Left cannot fill the leadership void so crucial now for revolutionary success.

Fortunately, the social science necessary to pull the Left's vision and plan together exists…it just wasn’t distilled by Marxists so, for the most part, the Left hasn't noticed. This instructive science is, instead, the work-product of relatively contemporary, disassociated, activists and academics from outside the Marxist tradition. If the American Left hopes to be a serious force in political revolution and socialist construction as the present crisis deepens and resolves, it needs to transcend its ideological icons and catch up with major advances in social, economic and class analysis.

This pamphlet summarizes three, key post-Marxist insights necessary to infuse and project a contemporary vision of American Socialism that inspires, guides, and gains the confidence of today’s surging revolutionary movement.

Back to Table of Contents

Introduction

With the US and Russia squared off in Ukraine, we’ve heard much talk of a new cold war. But, the whole postwar era – from 1945 to the present – is coming to a close, not a fresh beginning. This war is part of our troubled and lingering past, not our future.

Far from a new cold war, the next era – under existential pressure from climate change – must be one of unprecedented social collaboration in every nation and around the world. If it’s not, general social and ecological collapse – a new dark age – is the pending alternative.

The United States – a corporate-dominated democracy and the world’s only military and financial superpower – was the dominant, imperial force of the postwar era and remains well-positioned to control civilization’s climate change agenda. Whether it plays a progressive or reactionary role will turn on