Comments on: The dis­ap­pearing pro­le­tariat http://blog.voyou.org/2009/09/20/the-disappearing-proletariat/ Lazy rascals, spending their substance, and more, in riotous living Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:01:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Derrin Zikks http://blog.voyou.org/2009/09/20/the-disappearing-proletariat/comment-page-1/#comment-37937 Derrin Zikks Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:54:40 +0000 http://blog.voyou.org/?p=813#comment-37937 the proletariat has played an active part in shaping (its) history. it is not a 'structuring absence'. read e p thompson's 'the making of the english working class'. it is an empirical category; or, at least, no more abstract than (say) 'capitalism'. its formation was consciously experienced and contested. the proletariat has played an active part in shaping (its) history. it is not a ‘structuring absence’. read e p thompson’s ‘the making of the english working class’.

it is an empirical category; or, at least, no more abstract than (say) ‘capitalism’. its formation was consciously experienced and contested.

]]> By: Ben http://blog.voyou.org/2009/09/20/the-disappearing-proletariat/comment-page-1/#comment-37922 Ben Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:21:25 +0000 http://blog.voyou.org/?p=813#comment-37922 Nice post. I think you might get something from Geoff Boucher's book, The Charmed Circle of Ideology out through re.press. It's available as a PDF on their website or fairly cheaply via mail order. http://www.re-press.org/content/view/54/38/ He is very critical of Laclau on grounds that are very similar to what you have said here. Nice post. I think you might get something from Geoff Boucher’s book, The Charmed Circle of Ideology out through re.press. It’s available as a PDF on their website or fairly cheaply via mail order.

http://www.re-press.org/content/view/54/38/

He is very critical of Laclau on grounds that are very similar to what you have said here.

]]> By: P http://blog.voyou.org/2009/09/20/the-disappearing-proletariat/comment-page-1/#comment-37592 P Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:40:58 +0000 http://blog.voyou.org/?p=813#comment-37592 Yes indeed. What is 'present' is the tension between the two, the fundamental antagonism, which is then (tragically) displaced (from class)into/onto numerous differences as essentializing 'empiricisms' - gender, racialization, social hierachy, ethnicity, nationalism, 'traits', 'mental disorders', etc. Yes indeed. What is ‘present’ is the tension between the two, the fundamental antagonism, which is then (tragically) displaced (from class)into/onto numerous differences as essentializing ‘empiricisms’ – gender, racialization, social hierachy, ethnicity, nationalism, ‘traits’, ‘mental disorders’, etc.

]]> By: voyou http://blog.voyou.org/2009/09/20/the-disappearing-proletariat/comment-page-1/#comment-37574 voyou Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:28:12 +0000 http://blog.voyou.org/?p=813#comment-37574 Interesting. I'm sort of tempted to say that both capital and the proletariat are structuring absences - though if both capital and labor are absences, I'm not sure what's left to be the presence, as it were. Interesting. I’m sort of tempted to say that both capital and the proletariat are structuring absences – though if both capital and labor are absences, I’m not sure what’s left to be the presence, as it were.

]]> By: P http://blog.voyou.org/2009/09/20/the-disappearing-proletariat/comment-page-1/#comment-37561 P Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:40:23 +0000 http://blog.voyou.org/?p=813#comment-37561 (Not sure what happened the post above). I'll try again. Excellent points about structural abstraction. There is, however, one claim I'm unsure about, specifically when you write "so 'proletarian' names an absence, the absence around which the whole capitalist system is structured." The proletariat as the real of capitalism? Or is it not the absence, the void around which the whole capitalist system is or could be destroyed? Capital is the real of the capitalist system ... and could it be that the hysterical response to the recent financial meltdown - throwing trillions into the 'absence' in order to 'save' it, at the expense of all else - is yet another confirmation of this? (Not sure what happened the post above). I’ll try again.

Excellent points about structural abstraction. There is, however, one claim I’m unsure about, specifically when you write “so ‘proletarian’ names an absence, the absence around which the whole capitalist system is structured.”

The proletariat as the real of capitalism? Or is it not the absence, the void around which the whole capitalist system is or could be destroyed?

Capital is the real of the capitalist system … and could it be that the hysterical response to the recent financial meltdown – throwing trillions into the ‘absence’ in order to ‘save’ it, at the expense of all else – is yet another confirmation of this?

]]> By: P http://blog.voyou.org/2009/09/20/the-disappearing-proletariat/comment-page-1/#comment-37560 P Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:37:35 +0000 http://blog.voyou.org/?p=813#comment-37560 Excellent points about structural abstraction. There is, however, one claim I'm unsure about, specifically when you write, "so Excellent points about structural abstraction. There is, however, one claim I’m unsure about, specifically when you write, “so

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