"Here is a book that smashes and rebuilds. It smashes widely held ideas about communist bureaucracy, charisma, the convergence of industrial societies. . . . It rebuilds our understanding of contemporary China—and of communist regimes in general—by showing how overlapping instrumental and personal ties, embedded in ideology and party organization, have reshaped Chinese industrial enterprises. By placing Chinese experience firmly and lucidly in comparative perspective, Walder helps us rethink non-communist enterprise as well."—Charles Tilly, New School for Social Research

Neo-Communism and the Future of Socialist Ideology takes readers on a comprehensive journey through the evolution of socialism and communism, exploring their historical roots, ideological transformations, and modern-day influence on global politics. From the groundbreaking theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to the rise of Neo-Communism and progressive movements in the 21st century, this book offers a deep analysis of socialist thought and its relevance in addressing today’s most pressing issues—economic inequality, climate change, and the future of democracy. Through detailed critiques of classical Marxist theory, real-world examples of socialist and communist regimes, and an examination of socialist policies creeping into Western societies, this book provides a nuanced perspective on how these ideologies are reshaping politics and culture in the modern world. Neo-Communism and the Future of Socialist Ideology is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the ideological battles shaping the future of governance, social justice, and global economics. Synopsis Neo-Communism and the Future of Socialist Ideology offers an in-depth exploration of the past, present, and future of socialism and communism. Beginning with a historical analysis of Marxist theory, the book covers the philosophical foundation of socialism, including historical materialism, class struggle, and the vision of a classless society. It provides a thorough critique of Marxism in practice, assessing the successes and failures of socialist regimes throughout history, including the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba. Moving into the contemporary political landscape, the book introduces readers to Neo-Communism, a modern adaptation of Marxism that incorporates concerns about intersectionality, environmental justice, and technology. This exploration is paired with a critique of how socialist and communist ideologies are influencing Western politics—particularly in the United States, where democratic socialism and progressive movements are on the rise, igniting fierce debates in political and cultural arenas. The book also takes a global perspective, examining the resurgence of socialism in regions like Latin America and Africa, where nations are grappling with the legacies of neoliberalism and colonialism. As the world faces ongoing crises such as economic inequality, political polarization, and the climate emergency, Neo-Communism and the Future of Socialist Ideology considers how socialist ideas may offer solutions—or create new challenges—for the global future. Finally, the book addresses the cultural shift towards socialism, exploring how media, entertainment, and grassroots movements are subtly introducing socialist principles into mainstream discourse. By providing a critical overview of these ideological developments, this book offers a roadmap for understanding the ongoing debate between capitalism and socialism and the potential direction of global politics in the 21st century.

In this new title in Verso’s Pocket Communism series, Jodi Dean unshackles the communist ideal from the failures of theSoviet Union. In an age when the malfeasance of internationalbanking has alerted exploited populations the world over to theunsustainability of an economic system predicated on perpetualgrowth, it is time the left ended its melancholic accommodationwith capitalism. In the new capitalism of networked information technologies, ourvery ability to communicate is exploited, but revolution is stillpossible if we organize on the basis of our common and collectivedesires. Examining the experience of the Occupy movement, Deanargues that such spontaneity can’t develop into a revolution andit needs to constitute itself as a party. An innovative work of pressing relevance, The Communist Horizonoffers nothing less than a manifesto for a new collective politics.

Does communism, against all odds, have something useful to contribute to the pressing debate over economic strength, societal well being, and humanity versus the corporation? There are some elements of communist theory that deserve to be rescued from the proverbial dustbin, and that is the purpose of this book. This, however, requires a substantial rethinking of communism, a drafting of a kind of neo-communism from which everything that is impossible and/or undesirable is deleted. This book differs from other books on communism, such as The Passing of an Illusion by Furet, or The Black Book of Communism by Courtois et al., in that it is not a historical account of the the communist experience in some parts of the world. This book examines the original theory and worldview presented by and finds interesting clues to how we might tackle some of the problems that are still inherent in today's capitalist mode of production and work.

Nominee: 2017 American Book Fest, Best Book Awards. For anyone who cares about the state of the world and the condition of humanity and agonizes over whether fundamental change is really possible, this landmark work provides a sweeping and comprehensive orientation, foundation, and guide to making the most radical of revolutions: a communist revolution aimed at emancipating humanity—getting beyond all forms of oppression and exploitation on a world scale. The author, Bob Avakian, is the architect of a new synthesis of communism. This new synthesis is a continuation of, but also represents a qualitative leap beyond, and in some important ways a break with, communist theory as it had been previously developed. Avakian has written this book in such a way as to make even complex theory accessible to a broad audience. In this book, he draws on his decades of work advancing the science of communism and his experience as a revolutionary communist leader, including leading the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA, as its Chairman since its founding in 1975. This is a pathbreaking work, one that scientifically analyzes the system of capitalism-imperialism and its unresolvable contradictions; confronts the challenges facing the movement for revolution; and forges a way forward to making an actual revolution in this country, as part of contributing to communist revolution internationally.

In China's New Red Guards, Jude Blanchette illuminates two trends in contemporary China that point to its revival of Mao Zedong's legacy-a development that he argues will result in a more authoritarian and more militaristic China. This book not only will reshape our understanding of the political forces driving contemporary China, it will also demonstrates how ideologies can survive and prosper despite pervasive rumors of their demise.

It's not capitalism, it's not neoliberalism - what if it's something worse? In this radical and visionary new book, McKenzie Wark argues that information has empowered a new kind of ruling class. Through the ownership and control of information, this emergent class dominates not only labour but capital as traditionally understood as well. And it’s not just tech companies like Amazon and Google. Even Walmart and Nike can now dominate the entire production chain through the ownership of not much more than brands, patents, copyrights, and logistical systems. While techno-utopian apologists still celebrate these innovations as an improvement on capitalism, for workers—and the planet—it’s worse. The new ruling class uses the powers of information to route around any obstacle labor and social movements put up. So how do we find a way out? Capital Is Dead offers not only the theoretical tools to analyze this new world, but ways to change it. Drawing on the writings of a surprising range of classic and contemporary theorists, Wark offers an illuminating overview of the contemporary condition and the emerging class forces that control—and contest—it.

*** WINNER OF THE 2019 CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2019 SHORTLISTED FOR THE NAYEF AL-RODHAN PRIZE FOR GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING SHORTLISTED FOR DEUTSCHER PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING*** 'Revelatory and instructive… [a] beautifully written and accessible book’ The Times For decades, the West has dismissed Maoism as an outdated historical and political phenomenon. Since the 1980s, China seems to have abandoned the utopian turmoil of Mao’s revolution in favour of authoritarian capitalism. But Mao and his ideas remain central to the People’s Republic and the legitimacy of its Communist government. With disagreements and conflicts between China and the West on the rise, the need to understand the political legacy of Mao is urgent and growing. The power and appeal of Maoism have extended far beyond China. Maoism was a crucial motor of the Cold War: it shaped the course of the Vietnam War (and the international youth rebellions that conflict triggered) and brought to power the murderous Khmer Rouge in Cambodia; it aided, and sometimes handed victory to, anti-colonial resistance movements in Africa; it inspired terrorism in Germany and Italy, and wars and insurgencies in Peru, India and Nepal, some of which are still with us today – more than forty years after the death of Mao. In this new history, Julia Lovell re-evaluates Maoism as both a Chinese and an international force, linking its evolution in China with its global legacy. It is a story that takes us from the tea plantations of north India to the sierras of the Andes, from Paris’s fifth arrondissement to the fields of Tanzania, from the rice paddies of Cambodia to the terraces of Brixton. Starting with the birth of Mao’s revolution in northwest China in the 1930s and concluding with its violent afterlives in South Asia and resurgence in the People’s Republic today, this is a landmark history of global Maoism.

Presents a critique of the Bush Administration's Iraq policy, arguing that it stemmed from misconceptions about the realities of the situation in Iraq and a squandering of the goodwill of American allies following September 11th.

The impact of Communism on the twentieth century was massive, equal to that of the two world wars. Until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, historians knew relatively little about the secretive world of communist states and parties. Since then, the opening of state, party, and diplomatic archives of the former Eastern Bloc has released a flood of new documentation. The thirty-five essays in this Handbook, written by an international team of scholars, draw on this new material to offer a global history of communism in the twentieth century. In contrast to many histories that concentrate on the Soviet Union, The Oxford Handbook of the History of Communism is genuinely global in its coverage, paying particular attention to the Chinese Revolution. It is 'global', too, in the sense that the essays seek to integrate history 'from above' and 'from below', to trace the complex mediations between state and society, and to explore the social and cultural as well as the political and economic realities that shaped the lives of citizens fated to live under communist rule. The essays reflect on the similarities and differences between communist states in order to situate them in their socio-political and cultural contexts and to capture their changing nature over time. Where appropriate, they also reflect on how the fortunes of international communism were shaped by the wider economic, political, and cultural forces of the capitalist world. The Handbook provides an informative introduction for those new to the field and a comprehensive overview of the current state of scholarship for those seeking to deepen their understanding.