Capitalism on Edge: How Fighting Precarity Can Achieve Radical Change Without Crisis or Utopia (New Directions in Critical Theory, 69)

"The wake of the financial crisis has inspired hopes for dramatic change and stirred visions of capitalism's terminal collapse. Yet capitalism is not on its deathbed, utopia is not in our future, and revolution is not in the cards. In Capitalism on Edge, Albena Azmanova demonstrates that radical progressive change is still attainable, but it must come from an unexpected direction. Azmanova's new critique of capitalism focuses on the competitive pursuit of profit rather than on forms of ownership and patterns of wealth distribution. She contends that neoliberal capitalism has mutated into a new form--precarity capitalism--marked by the emergence of a precarious multitude. Widespread economic insecurity ails the 99 percent across differences in income, education, and professional occupation; it is the underlying cause of such diverse hardships as work-related stress and chronic unemployment. In response, Azmanova calls for forging a broad alliance of strange bedfellows whose discontent would challenge not only capitalism's unfair outcomes but also the drive for profit at its core. To achieve this synthesis, progressive forces need to go beyond the old ideological certitudes of, on the left, fighting inequality and, on the right, increasing competition. Azmanova details reforms that would enable a dramatic transformation of the current system without a revolutionary break. An iconoclastic critique of left orthodoxy, Capitalism on Edge confronts the intellectual and political impasses of our time to discern a new path of emancipation."--Provided by vendor "The wake of the financial crisis has inspired hopes for dramatic change and stirred visions of capitalism's terminal collapse. Amid populist upheavals, there has been a new flowering of radical critique, and progressive forces are rallying to fight inequality. Yet is the system indeed on the verge of ruin--or even truly challenged by these developments? In Capitalism on Edge, Albena Azmanova offers a novel diagnosis of the current moment to reveal that the potential for sweeping transformation must come from an unexpected direction. Azmanova demonstrates that capitalism is not on its deathbed, revolution is not in the cards, and utopianism cannot steer us toward a brighter future. In order to renew the potential for radical change, she develops a new approach to capitalism that focuses on the dynamics of the pursuit of profit rather than on forms of ownership and patterns of wealth distribution. Azmanova contends that neoliberalism has mutated into a new form of capitalism marked by a state of widespread precarity. In response, she calls for forging a broad alliance of strange bedfellows, who, despite their conflicting grievances, share an interest in fighting this generalized insecurity. Such a coalition could take on capitalism's constitutive dynamics, not merely its unfair outcomes. Azmanova details the prospect of reforms that would enable a radical transformation of the system without a revolutionary break. An iconoclastic rethinking of leftists' most cherished principles, Capitalism on Edge confronts the intellectual and political impasses of our time to discern a new path of emancipation"-- Provided by publisher "The wake of the financial crisis has inspired hopes for dramatic change and stirred visions of capitalism's terminal collapse. Amid populist upheavals, there has been a new flowering of radical critique, and progressive forces are rallying to fight inequality. Yet is the system indeed on the verge of ruin--or even truly challenged by these developments? In Capitalism on Edge, Albena Azmanova offers a novel diagnosis of the current moment to reveal that the potential for sweeping transformation must come from an unexpected direction. Azmanova demonstrates that capitalism is not on its deathbed, revolution is not in the cards, and utopianism cannot steer us toward a brighter future. In order to renew the potential for radical change, she develops a new approach to capitalism that focuses on the dynamics of the pursuit of profit rather than on forms of ownership and patterns of wealth distribution. Azmanova contends that neoliberalism has mutated into a new form of capitalism marked by a state of widespread precarity. In response, she calls for forging a broad alliance of strange bedfellows, who, despite their conflicting grievances, share an interest in fighting this generalized insecurity. Such a coalition could take on capitalism's constitutive dynamics, not merely its unfair outcomes. Azmanova details the prospect of reforms that would enable a radical transformation of the system without a revolutionary break. An iconoclastic rethinking of leftists' most cherished principles, Capitalism on Edge confronts the intellectual and political impasses of our time to discern a new path of emancipation"-- Résumé de l'éditeur Capitalism on Edge offers a novel diagnosis of the current moment to reveal that the potential for sweeping transformation must come from an unexpected direction. Albena Azmanova demonstrates that capitalism is not on its deathbed, revolution is not in the cards, and utopianism cannot steer us toward a brighter future.