Capitalism and the Nation State in the Dog Days of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

With global capitalism triumphant, the idea that humanity must ultimately choose between socialism or barbarism would seem preposterous if working people's historic gains were not being reversed, if political extremism was not flourishing, if economic and social polarisation were not growing, if nations and societies were not disintegrating, if ethnic, religious and imperialist wars were not proliferating and if lean and mean ideologies were not diluting compassion and destroying the meaning of responsible citizenship. As it is, it is not so surprising that some people claim to be able to hear the faint hoofbeats of barbarism in the stillness of the early dawn. The hegemonic ideology counters such hysteria by endlessly repeating its dog-eared promises of progress and efficiency, but careful observers note that, as they lose credibility, these promises are being steadily diluted. Gone is the dream of the leisure society, along with that of full employment, that of a regular, secure job and that of a compassionate society. Is there an end to this? And where does barbarism begin?