Change the world Quote by David Harvey
““This left, which strangely echoes a libertarian and even neoliberal ethic of ant-statism, is nurtured intellectually by thinkers such as Michel Foucault and all those who have reassembled postmodern fragmentations under the banner of a largely incomprehensible post-structuralism that favours identity politicsand eschews class analysis. Autonomist, anarchist, and localist perspectives and actions are everywhere in evidence. But to the degree that this left seeks to change the world without taking power, so an increasingly consolidated plutocratic capitalist class remains unchallenged in its ability to dominate the world without constraint. This new ruling class is aided by a security and surveillance state that is by no means loath to use its police powers to quell all forms of dissent in the name of anti-terrorism.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The New Left and the Post‑Structural Turn”, 2005
The left’s focus on identity politics and post‑structural theory neglects class struggle, allowing capitalist power to persist unchallenged.
In simple terms: Ignoring class analysis weakens political change.
Key Takeaway
Re‑integrate class analysis into progressive movements.
Themes
politics
class
identity
power
surveillance
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political theory
social critique
When to use this quote
- activist organizing
- policy advocacy
- academic debate
Key Concepts
post‑structuralism
antistatism
autonomism
Questions to Reflect On
- Can class and identity politics be reconciled?
- What strategies can challenge entrenched power?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on identity can fragment solidarity.
![“Given the pervasiveness of capitalism’s domination, the revolutionary vanguard can come only from those outcast intellectuals—especially among the younger students[282]—those who are able to “link liberation with the dissolution of ordinary and orderly perception”[283] and who thereby can see…” quote by Stephen R.C. Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b31/stephen-r-c-hicks-12692_freedom_given-the-pervasiveness-of-capitalism-s_775059.jpg)
