On the achievement of democracy and the 'impartial' state.
We speak to sociologist Dylan Riley about his new book Microverses, a series of aphorisms on social theory and politics.
The rational-legal state seems to be under threat by politicians who have no sense of the division between public and private – patrimonialists like Donald Trump, or Silvio Berlusconi. What are we to make of this attack on the notion of office?
Anti-corruption politics is often the response, but what happens when the left positions itself as the defender of the 'impartial' bourgeois state – rather than its overthrower? And was democratic capitalism the achievement of a militant working class – or a concession made after the working class had already been disciplined by fascism and war?
The second half of the interview, and our After-Party, is available at patreon.com/bungacast
Readings:
/292/ Bungazão 2022: Unrealistic Pragmatism, ft. Unbridled Possibility Collective
/291/ The Right Timeline ft. Mattia Salvia
/290/ Cassoulet of Disruption ft. Nathan Sperber
Excerpt: /289/ Aufhebonus Bonus (September)
Excerpt: /288/ Feudal Limpets (Bunga Goes Royal)
/286/ What Was Communism? ft. Branko Milanovic
/284/ Bungazão 2022 ft. Alcysio Canette
Excerpt: /283/ Reading Club: Trust & Mistrust
Bunga Holiday
/281/ Foreign Fighters, Left & Right (I) ft. Stefan Bertram-Lee
Excerpt: /280/ Three Articles: Liberal Nationalism
/279/ Society of the Speculative ft. Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou
Excerpt: /278/ Reading Club: Cynicism & Ideology
/276/ Broken Promises ft. Fritz Bartel
/273/ Eco-Leninism? [UNLOCKED]
Excerpt: /275/ Our Reply to Critics: Review of Reviews
Excerpt: /274/ Aufhebonus Bonus: July 2022
/272/ As Late As Necessary ft. Alex Gourevitch
/270/ Russia vs the West ft. Richard Sakwa
Excerpt: /269/ Three Articles: The 90s
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