beverley Best’s The automatic Fetish: A Fresh Guide to Marx’s Capital for a New Generation
Table of Contents
- beverley Best’s The automatic Fetish: A Fresh Guide to Marx’s Capital for a New Generation
- Marx’s Capital: An Unfinished Masterpiece and Its Relevance Today
- The Self-Destructive Arc of Capitalism: How Marx’s Capital Reveals a system in Crisis
- The Era of Crisis: Capitalism’s Long-grinding Struggle and the Rise of Mass Discontent
beverley Best has achieved what many thought unfeasible: she’s taken one of Karl Marx’s most challenging works—Capital, Volume III—and transformed it into an accessible, engaging guide for a new generation of readers. Her book, The Automatic Fetish: The Law of Value in Marx’s Capital, not only demystifies Marx’s dense critique of capitalism but also shows how his ideas remain a vital tool for understanding—and overthrowing—the exploitative systems of today.
As a new wave of leftists—part of what’s being called generation U—organizes against corporate giants like Amazon and Starbucks, and marches in solidarity with global movements like Palestine, Best’s work arrives at a critical moment. Her book serves as both an introduction and a call to action, offering fresh insights into Marx’s Capital and its relevance to contemporary struggles.
Why Capital Still Matters
Marx’s Capital is no ordinary book.Published in 1867, its first volume is a sprawling, 1,000-page critique of capitalism as a “mode of production.” It reveals how capitalism, unlike earlier systems like feudalism, obscures its exploitative nature, making it seem natural and certain. As Best explains, capitalism “hides what it is indeed from us,” presenting profit as the result of individual genius rather than systemic exploitation.But while Volume I is widely discussed, Volume III remains less explored. Best’s focus on this often-overlooked volume is a bold move. Marx never published it in his lifetime, leaving it to Friedrich Engels to compile and edit after his death. Best’s achievement lies in showing how Volume III builds on the foundations of Volume I, completing Marx’s critique of capitalism and offering a more thorough understanding of its mechanisms.
A World of Profit Crushing the Working Class
At its core, Capital is a critique of how capitalism extracts profit from labor. Best’s book highlights how Marx’s analysis remains startlingly relevant today. In a world where megacorporations dominate global markets, and workers face stagnant wages and precarious conditions, Marx’s insights into the “law of value” offer a powerful lens for understanding these dynamics.
Best’s work raises critical questions: how do we bring Marx into the 21st century? Is Capital a sacred text to be quoted verbatim, or a living, evolving tool for radical change? As she writes, “How do we use this thing, how do we aim it?”
Key Insights from The Automatic Fetish
| Key Point | Explanation |
|———————————–|———————————————————————————|
| Accessibility | Best makes Capital, Volume III approachable for new readers.|
| Relevance | Connects Marx’s critique to modern struggles against corporate exploitation. |
| Interconnectedness | Shows how Volume III builds on Volume I to complete Marx’s critique. |
| Call to Action | Encourages readers to use Marx’s ideas as tools for contemporary activism. |
Marx for the 21st Century
Best’s The Automatic Fetish is more than just an academic exercise. It’s a call to action for a new generation of activists and thinkers. As Generation U rises to challenge the status quo, best’s work provides the intellectual tools needed to understand—and dismantle—the systems of exploitation that define our world.
For those new to Marx or looking to deepen their understanding,the Automatic Fetish is an essential read.It’s a reminder that Marx’s critique of capitalism isn’t just a ancient artifact—it’s a living, breathing weapon in the fight for a better world.
Engage with the Movement:
- Learn more about Generation U and their fight against corporate exploitation.
- Dive deeper into Marx’s Capital with Beverley best’s The Automatic Fetish.
- Join the conversation on how Marx’s ideas can shape the future of activism.
Best’s work is a testament to the enduring power of Marx’s critique—and a rallying cry for those ready to challenge the systems that oppress us.The Mirage of Capitalism: Unmasking the Commodity Fetish and the exploitation Behind the Shine
It’s easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. this sentiment, echoed by many, reflects the pervasive belief that capitalism is the only viable system. From politicians to educators, the refrain is the same: “What’s the alternative?” But beneath the glittering surface of this system lies a deceptive reality—one that Karl Marx termed the “commodity fetish.”
In the Middle Ages, social relations where direct and brutal. Kings and nobles owned land, forcing peasants to work under threat of violence. Today, our relationships are mediated through the buying and selling of commodities—iPhones, TVs, healthcare services. The social roots of capitalism, the fact that it is humans who create and sustain this system, vanish behind a mountain of shiny goods. As Marx observed, capitalism’s real, historical, human relations slip out of view, replaced by the illusion of endless commodities and financial flows.
The Commodity Fetish: A closer Look
Behind every commodity lies the labor of the working class. Capitalists exist only because they control the labor of billions.Workers create the world’s treasures, yet the value they generate—surplus value—is siphoned off by the ruling class. The bosses profit, reinvest, and expand their empires, while workers toil faster and harder. This dynamic, Marx argues, is the engine of capitalism.
In Capital, Marx delves deeper into this exploitation.Volume III explores how the profit extracted from workers takes on a life of its own, circulating in the economy in monstrous forms. This “fetishized” profit dominates the world, masking its origins in human labor.
The unholy Trinity of Surplus Value
When capitalists extract surplus value from workers, it assumes three alien “masks,” which Marx calls an unholy “trinity”:
- Profit: Corporate owners—think Ford, Starbucks, or Amazon—profit from workers’ labor. These profits are reinvested into factories, warehouses, or R&D, obscuring their source in human exploitation.
- Rent: Landlords take their cut,a portion of profits and wages,further distancing the value from its origins.
- Interest: Financial elites invest billions into the stock market,a casino-like system that yields dividends or crashes.The roots of this value in workers’ exploitation disappear, leaving only the illusion of a self-sustaining financial god.
The Crushing Weight of Surplus Labor
Best’s analysis of Capital Volume III reveals how surplus labor—created solely by workers—takes on a life of its own, ruling the world and crushing those beneath it. the stock market, retirement savings, and other financial instruments become modern-day idols, demanding worship and obedience.
Key Insights at a Glance
| Concept | Description |
|—————————|———————————————————————————|
| commodity Fetish | The illusion that commodities and money obscure the human labor behind them. |
| Surplus Value | The profit extracted from workers’ labor, which fuels capitalist expansion. |
| Unholy Trinity | Profit, rent, and interest—the three masks of surplus value in capitalism. |
| fetishized Profit | Profit that circulates independently, dominating the economy and workers’ lives.|
capitalism’s brilliance lies in its ability to hide its exploitative nature behind a dazzling array of commodities and financial instruments. But as Marx and Best remind us, the roots of this system lie in human labor—and it is only through understanding this that we can begin to imagine alternatives.
What do you think? Is capitalism’s “commodity fetish” an insurmountable illusion, or can we peel back the layers to reveal the human relations beneath? Share your thoughts below.
Marx’s Capital: An Unfinished Masterpiece and Its Relevance Today
Karl Marx’s Capital remains one of the most influential works in political economy, yet its unfinished nature is frequently enough overlooked. In The Automatic Fetish, author Best approaches Marx’s magnum opus as if it were a complete, ready-made tool, akin to a hammer waiting in a toolbox. Though, this perspective misses a crucial point: Capital is inherently incomplete, not just as Marx died before finishing it, but because its method demands ongoing engagement and interpretation.
The Unfinished Nature of Capital
Marx never completed Capital. after his death, friedrich Engels assembled the remaining volumes from Marx’s notes. Even after the first volume was published, Marx continued to revise and refine subsequent editions and translations.Best acknowledges this fact but dismisses it, treating Capital as a static, finished product.
Yet, the incompleteness of Capital is not merely a historical accident—it is indeed central to its method. Marx’s approach, as outlined in his early drafts, is a “concentration of many determinations, so unity of the diverse.” He describes his method as a “process of concentration … the abstract determinations lead towards a reproduction of the concrete by way of thought.” In other words, Capital offers a “method of rising from the abstract to the concrete,” a framework for understanding reality that requires active engagement rather than passive consumption.
The Method Behind Capital
Marx’s method is both complex and profound. He doesn’t simply present a set of conclusions; instead, he provides a way to analyze and understand the world. as he explains, “Look, I’m not just going to lay out some fat theory. I’m going to start with the simplest, most abstract thing—the commodity—and then build up, step by step, to the whole mess of capitalism.”
This approach has significant implications for how we should read and use Capital. It is not a static text but a living, evolving framework that demands interpretation and submission. Best’s treatment of Capital as a finished tool risks turning it into a fetish—an object of uncritical reverence rather than a dynamic weapon for understanding and challenging capitalism.
The Relevance of Capital Today
Despite its unfinished nature, Capital remains a vital resource for understanding the crises and contradictions of capitalism. Best’s book is invaluable in this regard, offering a clear and accessible guide to Marx’s work. At a time when capitalism’s destructive tendencies—from economic crises to environmental devastation—are more apparent than ever, marx’s insights are crucial.Best’s work is particularly timely for a new generation of activists and thinkers. Movements like the Palestine solidarity campaign and the rising interest in socialism among young people highlight the need for a deeper understanding of Marx’s critique of capitalism. Though, as Best’s book demonstrates, engaging with Capital requires more than just reading it as a finished text. it demands active interpretation and application.
Key Takeaways
| aspect | Description |
|————————–|———————————————————————————|
| Unfinished Nature | Capital was never completed by Marx; Engels assembled it from his notes. |
| Methodological Depth | Marx’s method involves rising from the abstract to the concrete. |
| Relevance Today | Capital provides critical insights into capitalism’s crises and contradictions.|
| Best’s Contribution | offers an accessible guide but risks treating capital as a static tool. |
Conclusion
Marx’s Capital is not a finished product but an ongoing project. Its incompleteness is not a flaw but a feature of its method, which demands active engagement and interpretation. As we grapple with the crises of capitalism today, Capital remains a vital resource—but only if we approach it as a living framework rather than a static tool. Best’s The Automatic Fetish is a valuable starting point, but it also raises important questions about how we should read and use Marx’s work.By understanding Capital as an unfinished masterpiece, we can better harness its insights to challenge and transform the world around us.
The Self-Destructive Arc of Capitalism: How Marx’s Capital Reveals a system in Crisis
Karl Marx’s Capital is often misunderstood as a static, dogmatic text. But as recent analyses reveal, it’s anything but. Marx’s work is a dynamic, evolving framework that uncovers the inner workings of capitalism—a system that, according to Marx, is inherently self-destructive. By peeling back the layers of abstraction, Marx reveals how capitalism’s relentless pursuit of profit leads to its own undoing.
The polaroid of Capitalism: From Abstraction to Reality
Marx’s approach to understanding capitalism is akin to watching a Polaroid photo develop. “Things will be cloudy early on, but clearer and clearer as we go, as more and more details show up on the photo,” he explains.This method allows us to see the “dynamic movement” of capitalism—its tendencies, its contradictions, and its trajectory toward crisis.
In Volume I of Capital, Marx begins with the foundation of capitalism: production. He shows how capitalism is rooted in human labor, class struggle, and the increasing use of machinery. But this is just the starting point. As Marx adds more layers of complexity, the picture becomes clearer.
The Role of Circulation: Speeding Up the Machine
In Volume II, Marx introduces the concept of circulation—the process by which capitalists sell goods, move money, and expand their operations. Here,we see how circulation influences production. Capitalists strive to minimize costs, reduce lag time, and speed up production. “Capitalists try to move things faster and faster, make production faster and faster to save money, minimizing warehouse costs, lag time, and so on,” Marx writes.
Yet, even with this added layer, the picture remains incomplete. The interplay between production and circulation is still too abstract.
Volume III: The Crisis of Profit
It’s in Volume III that Marx brings everything together. Here, the “basic trajectory of capitalism” emerges: an arc toward self-destruction. capitalism, Marx argues, undermines itself. While all profits come from workers, the system increasingly relies on machines rather than human labor. This leads to a falling rate of profit—the lifeblood of capitalism.
“The ‘rate of profit’—of capitalism’s lifeblood and source of all its expansion—tends to fall,” Marx explains. This decline threatens the very survival of the system, setting the stage for devastating crises.
The Ruling Class Fights Back
But the ruling class isn’t passive. Faced with the threat of declining profits, capitalists take drastic measures. They push workers to labor faster and longer, cut wages, and seek new markets abroad. “Always the hunt: new ways for bigger profits!” Marx observes. These efforts, however, only delay the inevitable.
Continuing Marx’s Work
Marx’s analysis doesn’t end with Capital. He envisioned additional volumes exploring the state, the international economy, and other complexities. “We have to continue Capital for Marx,” he insists.Capitalism is constantly evolving, and so must our understanding of it.
This is where many interpretations fall short. As one critic notes, “She treats the book kind of like finished ideas so that later you can just slap them onto whatever situation you run into.” But Marx’s work is not a fixed theory. It’s a living framework that requires us to add new layers of complexity—especially considering capitalism’s developments as Marx’s time.
Key Takeaways
| Aspect | description |
|————————–|———————————————————————————|
| Production | The foundation of capitalism, rooted in human labor and class struggle. |
| Circulation | The process of selling goods and expanding operations, influencing production. |
| Rate of Profit | The lifeblood of capitalism, which tends to fall as reliance on machines grows.|
| Ruling Class Response| Efforts to increase profits through wage cuts, longer hours, and new markets. |
| Self-Destruction | Capitalism’s inherent tendency to undermine itself, leading to crises. |
Why This Matters Today
Marx’s insights are more relevant than ever. As capitalists continue to seek new ways to boost profits—whether through automation, globalization, or exploitative labor practices—the contradictions of capitalism become increasingly apparent. By building on Marx’s framework, we can better understand the challenges of our current economic system and envision alternatives.
as Marx himself would say, “We have to carry on for him.” The work of understanding and transforming capitalism is far from over.
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For further reading on marx’s theories and their modern implications, explore this analysis of capital or dive into contemporary critiques of capitalism.
The Era of Crisis: Capitalism’s Long-grinding Struggle and the Rise of Mass Discontent
Since the 2008 financial meltdown, the global economy has been trapped in what many describe as an era of crisis.Unlike sudden disruptions, this period is marked by prolonged economic instability, where governments scramble to prop up a faltering capitalist system. From massive bailouts to unprecedented monetary injections, the ruling class has tried everything to keep the economy afloat. Yet, despite these efforts, profitability remains far below the post-World War II boom levels, and discontent among the masses continues to grow.
The Tendency of Profit to Fall: A Marxist Perspective
At the heart of this crisis lies a concept central to Karl Marx’s Capital, Volume III: the “tendency of the rate of profit to fall.” This principle suggests that capitalism inherently undermines itself by generating lower and lower rates of profit over time. in the 1970s, when profits first came under threat, the ruling class responded with a frontal assault on workers. They slashed wages,dismantled unions,and outsourced manufacturing jobs,all in an effort to boost profitability. This era, now known as neoliberalism, was a bipartisan effort, with both Republicans and Democrats pushing policies that prioritized corporate interests over workers’ rights.
However, as scholars like Michael Roberts and Guglielmo carchedi have shown, these measures only partially worked. Capitalism has continued to struggle with low profitability, especially as the weak recovery from the 2008 crisis. “capitalists didn’t have a lot of very profitable places to invest, so they piled their cash into the casino of the stock market,” the article explains. When the investment bubble burst, it triggered a global economic meltdown.
Government Interventions: Bailouts and IV drips
In the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, governments, particularly the U.S., adopted new tactics to keep capitalism afloat. The Obama management famously bailed out firms deemed “too big to fail,” using taxpayer money to rescue corporations from collapse. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve injected massive amounts of liquidity into the economy, likened to an “enormous IV drip to keep the patient going.”
More recently, President Biden has continued this trend with massive spending programs aimed at reviving the economy post-pandemic. Yet, despite these efforts, profitability has not returned to its mid-20th-century highs. Capitalism remains trapped in a long-grinding crisis, with no clear path to recovery.
The Rise of mass discontent
As the economic crisis drags on, mass discontent has grown. people are demanding answers and change, creating fertile ground for populist politicians like Donald Trump. Meanwhile, traditional neoliberal parties, such as the Democrats, are struggling to maintain relevance. “Parties hawking the old neoliberalism, like the Democrats, start seizing up like a rusty motor,” the article notes.
This discontent is being channeled in different ways. Republicans have capitalized on anti-immigrant sentiment,while Democrats attempt to appeal to the working class to manage their anger. Both parties are focused on neutralizing struggles and keeping the “spigots of profits flowing as much as they can.”
A New Era of Crisis
today, crisis is no longer a sudden disruption but a defining feature of our era. Governments are forced to manage long-grinding economic problems, while mass discontent simmers beneath the surface.This era is marked by acute flare-ups, such as the 2008 meltdown and the COVID-19 pandemic, but the underlying issues remain unresolved.As the article concludes, “We live in an era of crisis, with more or less acute flare-ups, where the state must manage long-grinding problems of the economy.” This is an era where the ruling class struggles to maintain control, and the working class grows increasingly restless.
Key Points at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|———————————|—————————————————————————–|
| Core Issue | Falling rate of profit, as described in Marx’s Capital, Volume III |
| Neoliberal Response | Wage suppression, union dismantling, outsourcing in the 1970s |
| Post-2008 tactics | Massive bailouts, monetary injections, and government spending programs |
| Current State | Long-grinding crisis with low profitability and rising mass discontent |
| Political Landscape | Populist rise (e.g., Trump), neoliberal parties struggling for relevance |
The era of crisis is far from over. As governments continue to prop up a struggling system, the question remains: how long can capitalism limp along before the masses demand a fundamental change? For now, the spigots of profit keep flowing, but the cracks in the system are growing harder to ignore.The Era of Capitalist Breakdown: A Crisis of Economy,Politics,and Ecology
as the planet burns,capitalism’s reproduction faces the limits of nature’s wholesale destruction.This isn’t just a sudden crisis but an entire economic-political era, one that has been unfolding since 2008, inheriting unresolved problems from the 1970s. We live in an age of faltering capital, weak recoveries, plunging crises, wars, genocide, and global upheavals by the working class and oppressed.
Capitalism’s Breakdown: A Prolonged Crisis
Capitalism’s “breakdown” isn’t a fleeting moment but a sustained era of instability. As Marx’s ideas continue to evolve, it becomes clear that this era is marked by a cycle of crises and weak recoveries. The ruling class and their parties, fighting tooth and nail to keep capitalism limping along, herd workers into a system that prioritizes profits over planetary survival.
The destruction of ecosystems and the perpetuation of genocide, as seen in Palestine, are stark reminders of capitalism’s relentless pursuit of profit. The working class, the source of all surplus value, must break free from this cycle.
Marx’s Volume III: Beyond Economics
When Best reads Marx’s Volume III, she focuses on its economic aspects, avoiding the political and strategic questions it raises. Though, continuing Marx’s work as he intended requires opening up these dimensions.
“How do we, as workers, source of all surplus value, break out of our era of crisis? How do we stop being herded into the two parties of capitalism, which are fighting, tooth and nail, to keep capitalism limping along? How do we organize ourselves as a class, for ourselves, using our own weapons, instead of just being marched on and off stage, in elections, by parties for crisis-management?”
These questions are central to understanding how the working class can reclaim its power and challenge the ruling class’s dominance.
We, the Heirs of Marx
Marx’s Capital is, by design, a work-in-progress, a collective project. Best’s interpretation sometimes freezes its motions, treating it as a magic artifact with pre-determined answers. This fetishization of Marx’s work overlooks its dynamic, incomplete nature.Best’s book, while a clear guide to a challenging text, raises essential questions: “What do we do with Marx today? How do we wield this weapon, how do we aim this thing?” It serves as a reminder that Marx’s work is open, waiting for its heirs—us—to continue his labors.
Key Insights
| Key Point | Description |
| ————- | ————- |
| Capitalism’s Breakdown | A prolonged era of crises, weak recoveries, and ecological destruction since 2008. |
| Marx’s Volume III | Beyond economics, it opens up strategic and political questions for the working class.|
| The Heirs of Marx | Marx’s work is incomplete, waiting for collective continuation by its heirs. |
Breaking Free from the Ruling Class
the working class must organize itself, using its own weapons, rather than being manipulated by parties for crisis-management. The ruling class, unblinking at genocide and planetary destruction, must be challenged.
As the heirs of marx, we are tasked with continuing his work, wielding his ideas as a weapon to break free from the era of capitalist breakdown.
Calls to Action
- Organize as a Class: Workers must unite, using their collective power to challenge the ruling class.
- Continue Marx’s Work: Marx’s ideas are dynamic; we must evolve them to address contemporary crises.
- Challenge capitalism: Break free from the parties that perpetuate capitalism’s destructive cycle.
The era of capitalist breakdown is not just a crisis of economy but a crisis of politics, ecology, and humanity.The working class, as the heirs of Marx, must rise to the challenge.
Hallmark of capitalism’s expansion, are not anomalies but systemic features. The relentless pursuit of profit drives environmental degradation,resource depletion,and social inequality,creating a feedback loop of crises. This era is not just about economic instability but also about the ecological and political unraveling of a system that prioritizes short-term gains over long-term sustainability.
The Ecological Crisis: Capitalism’s Collision with Nature
Capitalism’s insatiable demand for growth has pushed the planet to its limits. Climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss are not just environmental issues but symptoms of a deeper systemic failure. The ruling class, despite its rhetoric on sustainability, continues to prioritize profit over ecological preservation. The recent climate bills,such as those pushed by the biden administration,ofen serve corporate interests more than they address the urgent need for environmental justice. As the article notes, these measures are “putting polluters before people and the planet.”
The ecological crisis is intertwined with the economic crisis. The destruction of natural resources undermines the very foundations of capitalist production, leading to further economic instability. This creates a vicious cycle where the system’s response to economic crises exacerbates ecological degradation, which in turn deepens the economic crisis.
The Political crisis: The rise of Populism and the Decline of Neoliberalism
The prolonged economic and ecological crises have fueled a political crisis. Traditional neoliberal parties, such as the Democrats, are losing thier grip on power as they fail to address the growing discontent among the masses. Populist figures like Donald Trump have capitalized on this discontent, offering simplistic solutions to complex problems. Though, these populist movements frequently enough serve to divert attention from the systemic issues at hand, rather than addressing them.
The political landscape is increasingly polarized, with both the left and the right offering competing visions for the future. On the one hand, there is a growing demand for systemic change, with movements advocating for socialism, environmental justice, and workers’ rights. Conversely, there is a reactionary push to preserve the status quo, frequently enough through authoritarian means.
The Working Class and the Path Forward
The working class,as the primary force of production,holds the key to resolving this multifaceted crisis. The growing discontent among workers, coupled with the ecological and political crises, creates fertile ground for revolutionary change. However, the path forward is fraught with challenges. The ruling class,despite its internal divisions,remains united in its efforts to maintain control and suppress dissent.
To overcome these challenges, the working class must organize and mobilize on a global scale. This requires building strong, inclusive movements that address the interconnected issues of economic inequality, environmental degradation, and social injustice. It also requires a clear vision of an choice system that prioritizes human needs and ecological sustainability over profit.
Conclusion: The Era of Capitalist Breakdown
We are living in an era of capitalist breakdown, marked by economic instability, ecological destruction, and political upheaval. The ruling class, despite its efforts to prop up the system, is increasingly unable to manage the growing crises. The working class, as the primary force of production, has the potential to lead the way toward a more just and lasting future. However, this will require unprecedented levels of association, solidarity, and determination.
As the cracks in the system grow wider, the question is not whether capitalism will collapse, but what will replace it. The choices we make today will determine whether we move toward a future of ecological and social justice or descend further into chaos and destruction. The era of capitalist breakdown is also an era of opportunity, but only if we seize it.
Key Points at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|———————————|—————————————————————————–|
| Core Issue | Falling rate of profit, ecological destruction, and political instability |
| Neoliberal Response | Wage suppression, union dismantling, outsourcing in the 1970s |
| Post-2008 Tactics | Massive bailouts, monetary injections, and government spending programs |
| Current State | Long-grinding crisis with low profitability, ecological collapse, and rising mass discontent |
| Political landscape | Populist rise (e.g., Trump), neoliberal parties struggling for relevance |
| Ecological Crisis | Climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss driven by profit motives |
| path Forward | Working class mobilization for systemic change and ecological sustainability|
The era of capitalist breakdown is far from over.As governments continue to prop up a struggling system, the question remains: how long can capitalism limp along before the masses demand a fundamental change? For now, the spigots of profit keep flowing, but the cracks in the system are growing harder to ignore. The future depends on the actions we take today.
