McKenzie Wark on Sun, 1 Dec 2002 06:42:22 +0100 (CET)


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Re: <nettime> joxe's empire of disorder


Thanks to Brian for his comments. I can't really speak for Alain
Joxe, but in the main his book seems to address the mainstream
centre-left political spectrum. In his view there is something to
be said for state or para-state organizations (the EU for example)
which can offer some protection to those within their envelope,
and which can adopt an approach to international affairs that
emphasises the maintenance or reconstruction of political
space. I don't necessarily agree with what Joxe writes, but the
book is certainly food for thought.

On Brian's other points: On the one hand, globalisation is really
just a return to 19th century capitalism. Nothing new there, except
the scale. On the other hand, I think there is something very new
in the extension of the abstraction of property to information. It
creates a whole new regime of commodification that impacts on
the underdeveloped world as much as the overdeveloped world.

I wasn't at the Social Forum, so all I can say is that it is an interesting
dance, a courtship, if you will, between the 'social forum' people
(call 'em what you like) and the old line left of centre parties. But is
is far from clear who is seducing who, or who will end up on top...

One of the more interesting developments in globalising the
movement are those attempts by unions in the overdeveloped world
to lend their resources to unionising the under developed world.
This is in the self interest of workers in the overdeveloped world --
it need not be seen as a 'postmaterialist' politics. Its a way of
resisting the imposition of the 19th century on the underdeveloped
world.


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