Utopia or Bust: A Guide to the Present Crisis

by Benjamin Kunkel

Overview

After the financial crash and the great recession, the media rediscovered Karl Marx, socialist theory, and the very idea that capitalism can be questioned.

But in spite of the publicity, the main paths of contemporary critical thought have gone unexplored
outside of the academy. Benjamin Kunkel’s Utopia or Bust leads readers – whether politically committed or simply curious – through the most important critical theory today. Written with the wit and verve of Kunkel’s best-selling novel, Indecision, this introduction to contemporary Leftist thinkers engages with the revolutionary philosophy of Slavoj Žižek, the economic analyses of David Graeber and David Harvey, and the cultural diagnoses of Fredric Jameson.

Discussing the ongoing crisis of capitalism in light of ideas of full employment, debt forgiveness, and “fictitious capital,” Utopia or Bust is a tour through the world of Marxist thought and an examination of the basis of Western society today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781781683286
Publisher:	Verso Books
Publication date:	03/11/2014
Series:	Jacobin
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Benjamin Kunkel is the bestselling author of Indecision and a co-founder of n+1. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books and the London Review of Books.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 David Harvey: Crisis Theory 23

2 Fredric Jameson: The Cultural Logic of Neoliberalism 51

3 Robert Brenner: Full Employment and the Long Downturn 77

4 David Graeber: In the Midst of Life We Are in Debt 105

5 Slavoj Zizek: The Unbearable Lightness of "Communism" 135

6 Boris Groys: Aesthetics of Utopia 145

Guide to Further Reading 171

Editorial Reviews

03/17/2014
Novelist turned public-intellectual Kunkel (Indecision) ventures into the realm of political non-fiction, voicing his dissatisfactions and hopes for the Left in the United States. Recounting his personal intellectual journey from vaguely leftist malcontent to explicitly Marxist thinker, Kunkel laments a lack of coherent critique of the present. In response, he tackles some of the left's most complex scholarship. From Boris Groys to Slavoj Zizek, Kunkel translates tricky questions of economics, culture, and politics into easy-to-understand prose that distil the problems not only with American capitalism, but capitalism in general: the tendency to shift social wealth away from the masses and towards the rich, and to run itself into crisis. While aiming to develop a critique of later-day America to clear the way for a second book dedicated to the question of a truly just society, this book is not without its concrete suggestions. Where the relatively recent obsession with inflation represents the interests of only the financial sector, Kunkel proposes a redefinition of "full employment" that would have significant political implications. Rather than being understood as an acceptable rate of unemployment, he argues for a definition that includes jobs for all who want them, a living wage, a productive role for government, and the understanding that not all inflation is destructive. All told, this book demonstrates Kunkel's command both of the written word and some of our most pressing problems, as well as their possible solutions. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Benjamin Kunkel has pursued a lonely and taxing crash course in Marxist thought, the results of which, set forth here, are nimble, clear, and brave. He dedicates the book to anyone who can use it, which I’ll take a step further: it’s for anyone who cares about historical necessity,
the crisis of capitalism, and our fate.” Rachel Kushner, author of The Flamethrowers

"Playful and unfailingly lucid...the book is one of the most enjoyable pieces of Marxist criticism in many years." The Nation

“It’s wonderful to see Benjamin Kunkel turn his considerable talents from the business of novelwriting to these political essays—models of the genre, with plenty to offer to both newcomers to and veterans of radical thought.” Doug Henwood, Left Business Observer

"From Boris Groys to Slavoj Zizek, Kunkel translates tricky questions of economics, culture, and politics into easy-to-understand prose that distil the problems not only with American capitalism, but capitalism in general" Publishers Weekly

“Benjamin Kunkel, aside from having mastered the voice of bemused neuroticism in Indecision, has one of the most interesting minds around.” The Millions

“Those looking for alternatives, explanations, and a critical map of where Leftist thought stands in our current neoliberal age will find Utopia or Bust a must-read.” Mike Konczal, finance commentator and Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute

From the Publisher