DP, 4/7/08

See also, from JX, below.

It was suggested at tonight’s meeting that we discuss capitalist decline at the next meeting. The Brighton based autonomist marxist publication Aufheben published a series of in depth articles analysing the various “decadence” theories. I cut and paste their brief summary on this and below that a link to the main articles that appeared over a 3 year period in the 90s in their annual publication. If I remember rightly these articles are very long and very involved and perhaps some what obscure in parts as there are polemics with positions held by some tiny and little known groups – however it is the most serious critique of these ideas that I have come across and as such might be of interest. In a nutshell I agree with them that these theories are flawed – capitalism is undoubtedly in crisis but that does not mean that its collapse is imminent! Anyway – in case it is of interest to anyone, here is their stuff!

Aufheben on Decadence

The notion that capitalism must inevitably decline and, by implication, that history is on our side, has been a dominant idea that has shaped much marxist and revolutionary thought, particularly that of Trotskyists and left communists. In the wake of the collapse of the Eastern Bloc it has become more important than ever to challenge such notions of capitalist decline and decadence. In the first part of our critique we examine the development of the various theories of capitalist decline that emerged out of the collapse of the Second International up until the end of the Second World War.

The theory of decline or the decline of theory?

A. Introduction

We are subjects faced with the objective reality of capitalism. Capitalism appears as a world out of control – the denial of control over our lives. But it is also a world in crisis. How do we relate to this crisis?

One understanding that has been dominant among critics of capitalism is that capitalist crisis, especially a prolonged and severe crisis such as we are presently in, is evidence that capitalism as an objective system is declining. The meaning of decline is either that it has created the basis of ‘socialism’ and/or that it is moving by its own contradictions towards a breakdown. Capitalism, it is said, is a world system that was mature in the Nineteenth Century, but has now entered its declining stage. In our view this theory of capitalist decline or of the decadence of capitalism hinders the project of abolishing that system.

Aufheben #02 (Summer 1993) Decadence: The Theory of Decline or the Decline of Theory? (Part I) http://libcom.org/library/decadence-aufheben-2

Aufheben #03 (Summer 1994) Decadence: The Theory of Decline or the Decline of Theory? (Part II) http://libcom.org/library/decadence-aufheben-3

Aufheben #04 (Summer 1995) Decadence: The Theory of Decline or the Decline of Theory? (Part 3) http://libcom.org/library/decandence-aufheben-4

There followed a debate betwwen the French group Théorie Communiste and Aufheben about these articles that appeared in editions Aufheben #11 – 13, I won’t give the links but they can be found in their archive of back issues, see:

http://libcom.org/aufheben

JX, 8/7/08

In response to DP’s email concerning Aufheben, people may also be interested on the ICC’s writings on the subject. (Needless to say the ICC defend the idea of decadence).

My personal recommendations are:

1) http://www.en.internationalism.org/pamphlets/decadence

This is the ICC’s main pamphlet on decadence. The section on the “Rise and Fall of Class Societies” has an introduction to the concept by examining the transition from one society to another, with historical examples.

Part II (Crisis and Decadence) and III (Decadence and Capitalism) explore the general characteristics of decadence and also how it manifests specifically in capitalism.

2) http://www.en.internationalism.org/taxonomy/term/287

This is a series examining the relationship of the idea of decadence to historical materialism, i.e. marxism.

Part 1, while not a direct reply to Aufheben, makes the case that the concept has been an integral part of Marxism right from the inception of the latter. It certainly challenges the notion that “decadence” simply appeared in the 2nd International!

The subsequent articles trace its development through the history of the workers movement.

3) For the really enthusiastic, there is also plenty of other stuff the ICC have written about decadence, links to which can be found here: http://www.en.internationalism.org/taxonomy/term/270

This will certainly make for an interesting discussion!

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