Lezione magistrale

Nancy Fraser (The New School, New York City)

What should socialism mean in the 21st century?

«“Socialism is back”. For decades the word was considered an embarrassment
– a despised failure and relic of a bygone era, rightly
consigned to the historical dustbin. No more! Today, politicians like
Bernie S and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wear the label proudly and
win support, while organizations that espouse it attract new members
in droves. But what exactly do they mean by “socialism”? However
welcome, enthusiasm for the word does not automatically translate
into serious reflection on its content. What does or should “socialism”
signify in the present era? This lecture provides the sketch of a possible
answer. Drawing on an expanded conception of capitalism, I construct
an expanded conception of socialism, which overcomes the narrow
economism of received understandings. Disclosing the capitalist economy’s
contradictory and destructive relation to its “non-economic”
background conditions, I contend that socialism must do more than
transform the economy. Over and above that desideratum, it must also
transform the economy’s relation to its background conditions: especially,
non-human nature, the unwaged work of social reproduction,
and political power. In a nutshell: a socialism for the 21st century must
be ecological, feminist, anti-racist and democratic».