Base and Superstructure

Thoughts on production, alienation, and ideology

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modes of production marx

Marx on Modes of Production

December 5, 2022 /

In my very first post on this blog, I laid out for readers the Marxist term ‘base and superstructure.’ Lots of people new to leftist ideas could use a 101-level story about many of Marx’s key terms. And that especially goes for any term related to the analysis of economic relations over the course of history. In this post, I’ll approach the term ‘modes of production’ from a similar mindset.

Indeed, Marx didn’t just analyze capitalism and its social relations. He didn’t only talk about the transition from capitalism to a socialist society. He embedded all this within his broader theories of history. ‘Modes of production’ is a key term within Marx’s historical materialism.

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corporate politics 101

Corporate Politics 101: Series Overview

December 1, 2022 /

At the beginning of this year, I said I’d focus on an overview of life in the business world. I called it Corporate Politics 101. And it now has 9 short posts on navigating the business world!

In this post, I’ve collected links to the entire series in one place for easy navigation. Here you go:

1. Be Nice to Staff
2. Office Space was Right
3. The Peter Principle Now
4. Workers are More Competent than Leaders
5. Event Names are Ironic
6. Structure Hoards Power
7. No Bullshit Committees
8. ‘Best Practices’ are Anything But
9. CEOs are Roman Emperors
10. Special Projects

I hope readers have enjoyed the series. My idea was to present a set of very brief tips for navigating the business world. Especially for leftists who don’t have a background in it. I may add to the series in the coming months, but I see it as largely complete for now.

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marx profit misconception

A Misconception About Marx on Profit

November 28, 2022 /

So, I’ve been listening to (and greatly enjoying!) Mike Duncan’s podcast Revolutions. In particular, I’ve been listening to his series on the Russian Revolution(s). Along the way, Duncan provides a great deal of background on Marxist theory. That makes sense, given the central role Marxism plays in 1917.

Overall, Duncan very skillfully explains Marxism 101, especially thorny terms like ‘means of production,’ and so on. I’d recommend his podcast, along with my own tips for reading Marx.

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Thanksgiving, Plus A December Break

November 24, 2022 /

I might start this post by pointing out, as have so many Native Americans, that the real story of the holiday of Thanksgiving doesn’t match the history people in the U.S. give it.

As for the blog, it’s time for an end of year note. Like past years, I’ll take a break around the holidays. My plan is to keep the regular schedule of about two posts per week through early December. And then the second half of December will be a lot slower.

I hope readers have a chance to take a break around the holidays as well.

the utopia of rules
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The Utopia of Rules

November 21, 2022 /

This post is about David Graeber’s book The Utopia of Rules. But that’s not what comes to mind when most people think about Graeber.

Upon his fall 2020 death, many leftists rushed to define the work and legacy of David Graeber. The socialist left tended to focus on his work with Occupy Wall Street and his book Debt. By contrast, the mainstream press focused on the more popular book Bullshit Jobs. And both sides had a word to say about his final book The Dawn of Everything, which formed a kind of grand synthesis of his historical and political views.

That’s all well and good. I’ve read each of these books and written about a couple. Graeber’s work follows a familiar pattern – insightful, but problems tend to lurk.

But I think The Utopia of Rules is where we should go if we want to find Graeber’s most compelling work. In it, he goes after bureaucracy, especially its history and its shaping by the modern world. Though it wanders into the more speculative realms of social theory, it hits a key topic from several angles. And so, that’s our topic for today.

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