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:
/133/ The Call ft. Krithika Varagur
/132/ Partial to Slavs ft. Lily Lynch
Excerpt: /131/ Reading Club: The PMC
Excerpt: /130/ Three Articles: BLM
/129/ The Right Is Weak ft. Corey Robin
/128/ BACKLASCH! ft. Anna Khachiyan
Excerpt: /127/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (3bis) ft. Angela Nagle & Michael Tracey
/126/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (3) ft. Angela Nagle & Michael Tracey
Excerpt: /124/ Three Articles: Money & Power
/123/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (2) ft. Nicholas Kiersey
Excerpt: /122/ TFW NO GF
UNLOCKED /120/ Damaged Beyond Repair? ft. Anton Jäger
/121/ Those Murdering Bastards ft. Vincent Bevins
Excerpt: /120/ Damaged Beyond Repair ft. Anton Jäger
Excerpt: /119/ Reading Club: Digital Socialism
Excerpt: /118/ Three Articles: Covid
/117/ Against The Virus ft. John McAfee
/116/ Mr Bunga Goes to Washington (1) ft. Nick Frayn
Excerpt: /115/ Singapore Shangri-La ft. Lee Jones
Excerpt: /114/ Reading Club: The Light That Failed
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