Theories of Radical Political Practice

The chapters of the reviewed book (Barša, Pavel and Ondřej Císař. Levice v postrevoluční době. Občanská společnost a nová sociální hnutí v radikální politické teorii 20. století. Brno: CDK, 2004) present Gramsci’s and Althusser’s revisions of Marx, Laclau and Mouffe’s poststructuralist postmarxism, Melluci’s theory of new social movements, Beck’s theory of reflexive modernity, the ideas of many other thinkers (Habermas, Giddens, Gintis and Bowles etc.), and the final chapter describes the theory and practice of the anti-globalization movement. The book emphasizes that according to Gramsci and Althusser the success of capitalism is based on its ability to produce (through church, family, education, media, market etc.) docile subjects who adopt the goals of capitalism. In these authors’ view, the Marxist superstructure (i.e. ideology) has become more important than the base since it assumes material existence. Thus, subjects partake in their own suppression. In order to change this situation, alternative action on the part of subjects is required. Accordingly, the so-called new social movements replace the revolutionary plans of the communist movement with the quest for social change induced by “cultural innovations” in everyday life (Melluci). These innovations are meant to expose the hidden structures of power. Contemporary feminism is an example of such a movement. All in all, the study gives a very good presentation of the radical politics of the 20th century, although in some parts of the book Barša and Císař should have distinguished more clearly between their own ideas and the theories of the described authors.