Class Unity PoliEdPod 4: Reading Alfred Sohn-Rethel on Fascism, Today
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Aug 8, 2023 Discussion on how Marxist theory understands modern history, exploring the economic origins of fascism, the concept of artificial effective demand in the market, the rise of fascism and its relationship with capitalism, the impact of the Great Depression on fascism, downward mobility and its ramifications, and common characteristics of fascism.
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Economic Roots of Fascism
- Fascism arises from economic necessities, not just political catastrophes or failures of democracy.
- The Nazis' rise was fundamentally an effect of underlying capitalist economic crises, not merely ideological or political will.
Monopoly Capitalism's Market Crisis
- Monopoly capitalism produces more goods than markets can absorb leading to economic breakdowns.
- Production demands outpace market demand, forcing markets to be manipulated to fit production needs.
Industrial Capital's Production Trap
- Industrial fixed costs compel continuous production regardless of demand, causing systemic contradictions.
- Capitalists face sunk costs that trap them into overproduction to avoid financial disaster.