Capitalism and Political Strategy in Post-Marxist Discourse Theory. Reply to Jacobs. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rey-Araújo, Pedro M.
• Is Part Of: Rethinking Marxism. Volume 33:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 162
• Page End: 167
• Publication Date: 2021-01-02
• Subjects: Ernesto Laclau -- Post-Marxism -- Political Economy -- Hegemony; Communism -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 335.4305
• DOI: 10.1080/08935696.2020.1847019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0893-5696

Abstract

Abstract : In this paper, I provide a short reply to Jacobs's critical appraisal of my previous article, "Ernesto Laclau's Oblivion of Political Economy, " published in this journal, volume 32, number 2 (2020). There, I had argued that Laclau's post-Marxism suffered from a marked incapacity to theorize the extent to which capitalist dynamics affect ongoing hegemonic struggles. In this regard, Jacobs argues that I implicitly resort to an ontological dualism at odds with post-Marxism's ontological stance, from which an essentialist account of capitalist dynamics ensues. I argue that, while remaining firmly within post-Marxism's core ontological assumptions, further theoretical integration of political economy approaches is a promising path for enhancing post-Marxism's usefulness for strategic reflection, as both of us ultimately aim to do.