The Political Economy of the Spectacle and Postmodern Caste (Studies in Critical Social Sciences)

In The Political Economy of the Spectacle and Postmodern Caste, John Asimakopoulos analyzes the political economy of the society of the spectacle, a philosophical concept developed by Guy Debord and Jean Baudrillard. Using the analytical tools of social science and historical research, Asimakopoulos reveals that all societies in every epoch have been and continue to be caste systems legitimized by various ideologies. He concludes that there is no such thing as capitalism (or socialism)―only a caste system hidden behind capitalist ideology. Asimakopoulos's approach is broad, interdisciplinary, and draws on both quantitative and qualitative data to weave a narrative that is clear, well written, and offers much to both specialists and general readers.

John Asimakopoulos is Full Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York. His publications include Revolt! (Transformative Studies Institute, 2011), The Accumulation of Freedom (AK Press, 2012, with Eric Shannon and Anthony J. Nocella), Social Structures of Direct Democracy (Haymarket, 2015), and Against Capital in the Twenty-First Century (Temple University Press, 2018).