Twenty-First Century Socialism

by Jeremy Gilbert

What causes climate change, social breakdown, rampant inequality and the creeping spread of ubiquitous surveillance? Capitalism. What is the only alternative to capitalism? Socialism.

Socialism cannot, however, remain static if it is going to save civilisation from these catastrophes. In this urgent manifesto for a 21st century left, Jeremy Gilbert shows that we need a revitalised socialist politics that learns from the past to adapt to contemporary challenges. He argues that socialism must overcome its industrial origins and give priority to an environmental agenda. In an age of global networks, digital technology and instant communication, central government diktat and restrictions on free speech and movement must be jettisoned. We need to control the economy rather than let it control us - but we must do this by empowering workers, citizens and communities to run their world their way.
 
It’s time to take back the wealth, the services and the platforms that our own energy has built. In the digital age, it’s time for a new socialism.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Theory

140 pages, Hardcover

Published April 6, 2020

Reviews

[Julian Worker · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Jeremy Gilbert argues that socialism must overcome its industrial origins and give priority to an environmental agenda and that it's time to empower workers, citizens, and communities to run their world their way.

This book proposes that a twenty-first-century socialism is the only reasonable solution to the crises of today from climate change to social inequality.

Part I explains what the sources of these crises are and how socialism might be the solution to them.

Part II explores the specific features and conditions that characterise the world we live in today.

Part III expounds what the characteristics of a twenty-first-century socialism would be.

This is a book from Polity Books.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facebook users of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but the monetization of your data.

A wonderfully concise, powerfully worded, and hugely accessible new socialist manifesto that first maps out with extraordinary accuracy and precision what our current predicament is before giving a condensed but inspiring and realistic strategy for a more just future of radical equality.

[Ben · Rating 1 out of 5]

hot garbage

I recommend this if you want a good laugh at a British moron regurgitating gibberish that Marx and Engels had already obliterated in their own time. In any case this sort of incoherent “socialist” writing is symptomatic of the ideology engendered by the imperialist rot of the parasitic nations (England being the star example).

[Max “Big Lad” McLoughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, maybe three stars is a little harsh. The book is a great, accessible account of our current political situation and how we arrived there. A little scant on details and arguments in places, and the analysis is probably more convincing than the prescriptions, but what Gilbert manages to do in 150 pages is pretty impressive.

[Tomasz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really 101 in the full sense. There's nothing new here. You can browse in about 15 minutes. It would be nice as a textbook for 13-year-olds fascinated by politics.

Part one: definitions of socialism vs capitalism (booring), plus something about the NHS. Next.

Part two: cybernetics, of course the Cybersyn project. Classic. Democracy, culture war, neoliberalism, all in three paragraphs. The climate crisis, housing, the world of work, platforms, 2008 - all you have to do is open the first article you come across from any think tank to read the same thing. In Poland, both the left and the right write about it. Nihil novi sub sole.

And finally, we have the Program.

„Contemporary socialism cannot be authoritarian in nature, relying on a culture of conformity, as twentieth-century socialism so often did.”

What won't you say man?

Ah, then there's the Allende dictatorship. And then about the green deal. Of the empty passwords, only degrowth is missing (fortunately, this word is not mentioned anywhere).

“One obvious way to reduce the power of finance capital over the rest of society would be to create institutions such as local and national investment banks that could invest in and support new and small businesses, which would no longer be reliant on private loans and investments ; this would deprive financial institutions of their exclusive control over the allocation of capital and investment. Another way would be to take back into public ownership many of the services and institutions that have been privatized during the neoliberal era, from railways in the United Kingdom to refuse services in American municipalities.”

Truly revealing.

The author proposes UBS, UBI, democracy in schools, trade unions. Finally, a chapter on Strategy (there are plenty of strategists on the left, but there is no one to do it):

“any socialist project (at least outside the United States) must seek allies around the world and find ways to enable socialist movements. This history also suggests that socialism can be built only with the support of a real majority of a population”

Shocking.

[Margaret Comer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good overview of the global political situation and a fairly good (if basic) guide as to how socialism can get us out of it. The first part, which details how we have gotten to a point where capitalism and its strictures rule and ruin the globe, can be a little eye-rollingly polemical, but the points are sharp and solid. The second part outlines the crises we as a global society face today, including the climate crisis, the cybernetic revolution, and increasing atomization; this part focuses on how capitalists and their cronies have shaped all of these issues, and how previous socialist movements have tried and often failed to combat it. Many such manifestos, when it gets to the part about the future, provide stirring rhetoric but no real plan to move forward. Jeremy Gilbert, conversely, does lay out some clear steps and principles that societies, groups, and individuals can follow to achieve a socialist future. He particularly emphasizes the importance of building truly democratic groups, workplaces, and societies - this, not individual atomization, is true freedom. All in all, a good introduction to the state of play in 2021, especially for those new to socialism and the left.

[Peter Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent short summary of the current political conjuncture, how we might move beyond it, and what strategies a progressive movement might follow to get there. Sadly, it doesn't seem like any of this will be followed by the modern UK Labour Party.

[Drew Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's far from being a detailed manifesto but that is arguably one of the books strengths. Socialism is something that people often think they know about when in reality they don't so it is good to have a book that presents the perspective, terminology, and arguments of socialism in a concise way.

[Azaad Sadiq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twenty-First Century Socialism is a compressed treatise on how we have come to be burdened by capitalism, and how socialism adapted for the 21st century would save us. I applaud Gilbert's ambition but the text is too sparse to adequately cover both fronts. In particular, the origin story of modern capitalism will be probably well known to any prospective reader, and Gilbert's analysis mostly regurgitated prior literature on the subject, while making it more accessible stylistically.

The forward looking parts of the book, where a socialist world was envisioned in line with environmentalism, the liberation of oppressed groups, and other modern sensibilities, have more value in terms of contributions towards discourse around the subject, however at points Gilbert's analysis seemed far too abstract. The society he was discussing seemed wonderful, but how exactly we got to it wasn't explained satisfactorily. Any meaningful discussion on how to achieve socialism has to devote proper attention to the how of it.

That said, this is a good introduction to the concept of 21st century socialism as the aspiration of democratic socialism, and distinct from the top down state imposed approach of regimes like the USSR, and thus isn't totally bereft of merit, especially as it is easy to read, which isn't something to take for granted for this subject matter.

[ren ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hence it is important to emphasise (and I will) that twenty-first century socialism is a philosophy and a politics of freedom. But it is also important to remember that, from a socialist perspective, a politics of freedom is always also a politics of equality, solidarity and democracy. This is what socialism has always meant; and it is still what it means today.

Twenty-First Century Socialism is a very accessible read for those who are interested in socialism and wondering what socialism would like in the twenty-first century. It does cover some pretty important terminology, the cybernetic revolution, the climate change crisis, trade unions, and what we can learn from the twentieth-century socialists. However, this book definitely felt more like an intro of sorts and because it's so short, it sacrifices depth for breadth.

If you're already a socialist, you probably won't benefit much from reading this book... but it's a great start for those who are curious and hopeful for an alternative to capitalism.

Rating: 3.75/5

[Mitchell Chatfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

In brief, had I read this book as an introductory text, I think it would be deserving of 4 or 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Gilbert takes a sequential development to socialist predisposition - hence why I think this book works very well as a primer or introduction. He looks to the current duopolistic options (capitalism or socialism), then provides a brief historical development of the forces of capital - mostly from a socio-cultural perspective. Next, Gilbert provides an outline of the contemporary neoliberal arrangement, before sketching what a twenty-first century socialism ought to appear as.

A standout quote for me in addressing the question of neoliberal “order” is: “the global neoliberal programme began with the violent suppression of democratic, technologically sophisticated socialism” in response to the US sponsored counter-Cybersyn coup.

[Fran Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I thought this book offered interesting insights into what a more modern model of socialism could be made of, this book was seriously lacking in explaining how this large transfer of power to the people would occur. Gilbert seems incredibly naive in bashing attempts at crushing US imperialism and building socialist models, such as in the DPRK, and fails to at all recognise the force and violence needed to overcome such violent systems. He seems to not comprehend that factory owners won't simply hand the keys over to the workers because they proposed a nice idea, and is in denial about the fact that socialism is an overwhelming system that requires a revolution of brute force.

[Sam O'Donnell]

If, like myself, you're looking for a spring board into learning more about Socialism and how we can transition towards it in this day and age, I feel this is a good place to start.

It gave a broad overview of the core values and history of Capitalism and how Socialism was born from it while still remaining accessible to the layman. The book offers a basic road map of ideas and doesn't get too bogged down in jargon.

I've no doubt that the understanding I have gained from this book will help me to understand more complex political theory later down the line.

[John Drinkwater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, though it misses a trick on page 59-60 not mentioning National Conservatives in the groups rejecting progress and scientific rationality. Makes a good argument throughout for intersectionality as a core tenet of post-modern socialism, quite rightly. But I found it wasn’t able to -- or rather didn’t -- make an argument for why libertarianism is as important.

[مهسا · Rating 3 out of 5]

ترجمۀ فارسیش تازه دراومده. کتاب بسیار مختصر و ساده‌ایه ولی دوستش داشتم. فکر می‌کنم چیزهایی برای یاد گرفتنن از اختصار و سادگی وجود داره همچنان و کتاب‌هایی مثل این رو اتفاقاً توی فضای فارسی خیلی نیاز داریم. روشن، مصداقی، با چارچوب درست.

[Jasmin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps the greatest problem of post-modern society is its inability to withstand criticism and accept that equality is the new utopia.

[David Macnamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, 3 stars is probably a bit generous. It’s a bit light on ideas, IMO.

[erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

good for the basics of socialism to newbies of the radical left

[Corbin Jordin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chewed through this book in two days. Enjoyed! Lots to think about.

[Eli Youth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for someone unfamiliar with (but curious about) socialism while still offering healthy critique to people who's already read works of Marx, Engels and Lenin.
Recommended read!

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and inspiring manifesto

[Lord Bathcanoe of Snark · Rating 1 out of 5]

Socialism is no longer the politics of the working class.
It is now the politics of the smoked salmon set.
It's easy to be a socialist when you're well off. Nice times discussing Karl Marx at dinner parties.
Not so easy when you need to watch every penny you spend.

[Stanley Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like how actionable this is and specific to british poltics as well as applicable on a larger scale but like it gets a bit socdem-y at points 8/10