Beyond liberal egalitarianism : Marx and normative social theory in the twenty-first century / by Tony Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, Tony, 1951- author.

Series:

Historical materialism book series ; 142.

Historical materialism book series ; volume 142

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Marx, Karl, 1818-1883.

Marx, Karl.

Neoliberalism.

Equality.

Physical Description:

xiv, 373 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden, Boston : Brill, [2017]

Summary:

Progressive theorists and activists insist that contemporary capitalism is deeply flawed from a normative point of view. However, most accept the liberal egalitarian thesis that the serious shortcomings of market societies (financial excess, inequality, and so on) could be overcome with proper political regulation. Building on Marx's legacy, Tony Smith argues in 'Beyond Liberal Egalitarianism' that advocates of this thesis (Rawls, Habermas, Stiglitz, et al.) lack an adequate concept of capital and the state. These theorists also fail to comprehend new developments in world history ensuring that the 'destructive' aspects of capitalism increasingly outweigh whatever 'creative' elements it might continue to possess. Smith concludes that a normative social theory adequate to the twenty-first century must explicitly and unequivocally embrace socialism.

Contents:

1 Liberal Egalitarianism 1

Introduction 1

Well-being 3

Autonomous Agency 7

Access to Resources 10

The Development of Essential Capabilities 15

Democratic Will-Formation 19

2 Towards a Liberal Egalitarian Normative Theory of Institutions 22

The Household 22

Market Production and Distribution 25

The State 31

Civil Society: The Public Sphere and Voluntary Associations 41

The Regime of Global Governance 44

3 Misunderstandings, False Starts, Further Questions 51

Some Marxian Objections to Liberal Egalitarianism 51

Liberal Egalitarian Criticisms of Marx 62

Conclusion 71

4 The Beginning Level of Marxian Theory 73

The Beginning Level of Theoretical Abstraction (1): The Commodity, Value, Abstract Labour 74

The Beginning Level of Theoretical Abstraction (2): Money 85

Normative Considerations 91

Conclusion 98

5 Marx's Concept of Capital 103

Marx's Concept of Capital (1): Capital as a 'Dominant Subject' 103

Ontological and Normative Implications of the General Formula of Capital 110

Normative Implications 114

Marx's Concept of Capital (2): Capital as a 'Pseudo-Subject' 120

6 Human Flourishing and the Structural Tendencies of Capitalism 131

The Capital/Wage Labour Relationship 132

Overaccumulation Crises 144

Financial Crises 148

Environmental Crises 156

Severe Global Inequality and Poverty 157

Conclusion 160

7 A Liberal Egalitarian Response to the Marxian Challenge 162

The Critique of Economism 163

A Reform Agenda 165

8 Towards A Marxian Theory of 'The Political' 183

Five Theses on the Capitalist State 183

A Critical Examination of Liberal Egalitarian Proposals 191

Conclusion 215

9 Competing Perspectives on Neoliberalism 218

A Liberal Egalitarian Narrative 219

Beyond Liberal Egalitarianism: A Marxian Critique of Neoliberalism 229

Conclusion 254

10 Two Modified Versions of Liberal Egalitarianism 262

'Neo-Schumpeterian' Liberal Egalitarianism 263

The Normative Promise of Commons-Based Peer Production' 269

11 Modified Liberal Egalitarianism and the Present Moment in World History 279

Prospects for a New 'Golden Age' 279

The Prospects of Commons-Based Peer Production 293

Conclusion 309

12 Property-Owning Democracy: A Liberal Egalitarianism Beyond Capitalism? 312

Property-Owning Democracy (1) 314

Property-Owning Democracy (2) 319

Property-Owning Democracy (3) 324

13 Beyond Liberal Egalitarianism 335

The Argument Thus Far 335

Beyond Liberal Egalitarianism 341.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Smith, Tony. Beyond Liberal Egalitarianism

ISBN:

9789004352278

9004352279

OCLC:

989053105