A Zero-Sum Game

by Eduardo Rabasa, Christina MacSweeney (Translator)

"Outstanding political fantasy. Eduardo Rabasa has written a futuristic novel set in the present; its inventiveness is not based on new technologies but rather on new kinds of relationships." — Juan Villoro

A hilarious satire and universal exploration of the origins of power and corruption. A Zero-Sum Game uses the highly-charged election for the presidency of a residents' committee and the influence of a powerful stranger to both expose those in power and to sympathize with individuals who find themselves caught in the paradox of empowerment and impotence that is modern consumer society and the democratic state.

Eduardo Rabasa is the founding editorial director of Sexto Piso, Mexico's most prominent independent publishing house, and was selected to the Hay Festival's México20 list of the greatest Mexican authors under the age of forty.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

EDUARDO RABASA estudió Ciencias Políticas en la UNAM, donde se tituló con una tesis sobre el concepto de poder en la obra de George Orwell.

Escribe una columna semanal para Milenio y ha traducido libros de autores como Morris Berman, George Orwell y Somerset Maugham.

En 2002 fue uno de los miembros fundadores de la editorial Sexto Piso, donde trabaja como editor desde entonces.

Fue nombrado uno de los 20 mejores escritores mexicanos menores de 40 años por el Hay Festival, el British Council y Conaculta como parte de su proyecto México20.

Actualmente reside en la Ciudad de México.

Reviews

[Paul Fulcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

'It doesn't matter how you play the game, zero is always zero'

Eduardo Rabasa's A Zero-Sum Game should really be right up my street. It is translated fiction (and translated by the excellent Christina MacSweeney - see this interview on the novel http://fictionadvocate.com/2016/11/07...), from one of my favourite US independent presses, Deep Vellum (https://deepvellum.org/ - Recitation, Sphinx, Eve out of Her Ruins, Vaseline Buddha, Tram 83 etc) and it is a deeply political novel (big tick) set around the elections for the residents management company of a property block (enormous tick).

It even comes with an author's recommended music list to accompany the novel, http://www.largeheartedboy.com/blog/a..., which includes Nine Inch Nails, The Clash and Nirvana. Lyrics from a Radiohead song form the book's epigraph and speak to one of the key themes:

Boys in first class don't know we're born just know
Someone else is gonna come and clean it up
Born and raised for the job
Someone always does

So that it didn't entirely live up to my expectations probably reflects more where I am in my reading cycle - suffering a little from reading too many books from award shortlists, notably the tediously dreadful 4 3 2 1 and the deliberately difficult Phone - than on the novel itself.

Eduardo Rabasa studied political theory at Mexico's National University and wrote his thesis on the concept of power in the works of Orwell, and the novel draws from the same well, mainly satirising the current neo-liberal political and economic consensus.

A Zero-Sum Game is set in the large development of Villa Miserias, where the annual elections for the Resident's Committee, and the general management of the estate, have been gradually changed to reflect the theories of one particular resident, 'with an albaster smile', Selon Perdumes:

The foundations of Villa Miserias were conceived on the same basis as Selon Perdumes’ fundamental doctrine: Quietism in Motion. Its forty-nine buildings were constructed using an engineering technique designed to allow shaking while avoiding collapse.

Quietism in Motion is based on the theories of the sword and the tea bag.

The former was based on the equilibrium of unequal things, the distinctive characteristic of a good sword. It may be the blade that cuts, but it’s the hilt that is in control. When wielding a Samurai sword, in order to obtain horizontal equilibrium, the extended finger must be placed on the juncture of the hilt and the blade. If the finger bears down slightly harder toward the blade, the greater weight of the hilt is magnified and wins the day. And from this came the Perdumesian maxim: cannon fodder should respect the rank of the person who holds the weapon. Hence the Quietism.

The motion came from the tea bag. Perdumes would ceremoniously pour the hot water from his antique porcelain jug into a white cup and slowly remove the tea bag from its paper wrapping, allowing his audience to confirm the absolute transparency of the water. The tea bag was then gradually introduced into the cup at an angle of ninety degrees to the surface of the water. Initially, nothing happened. Then, when the tea could no longer bear the scalding water, it exuded a thin, blackish thread that diffused into the water. Perdumes would accentuate the effect by a series of upward jerks. The tea seeped out evenly in all directions until the correct hue was attained. But if one were to move the bag around without rhyme or reason, what would happen, he would ask rhetorically. You might say, exactly the same, he then quickly replied, yet turbid tea is acidic and doesn’t have the same flavor. The motion is necessary, in its proper time and place.

The novel contains a lot of theory of this nature - seemingly abstract but highly applicable to Rabasa's view of our current economic and political situation, a settlement that claims to be post-ideology but is in-fact all-encompassing ideology (rather like religion) and a democracy that largely exists to perpetuate economic inequalities - designed to allow shaking while avoiding collapse as per the earthquake-proofing of the buildings. For example, Perdures increasingly moves to make service charge contributions proportional to the benefit gained - initially to the apparent disadvantage of the wealthier residents who lives in the larger and higher apartments - but then moves to make voting weights also proportional to the charge paid.

Perdures theory's are backed up by the statistical science of G.B.W. Ponce who takes opinion polling and the form of multi-level regression analysis used so successfully by Yougov in the 2017 General Election (https://yougov.co.uk/uk-general-elect...) to a whole new level:

G.B.W. Ponce had acquired great renown in the socio-scientific community for a statistical discovery known as the Ponce Scheme. After years of battling with his algorithms—his beaky, condor face lost its glow and his hair started to gray—he’d managed to compress thousands of variables into a method he retained for his personal use, in spite of stratospheric offers to share his secret. Inspired by the philosophical notion that history is just an untiring repetition of itself, he proposed to condense the millions of correlations studied into an accurate predictive method: his aim was to quantify the eternal return. If all thought, every impulse or action is contained in the characteristics that define each individual, he could explain real events without having to wait for them to occur.
[...]
The aim was to attain a delicate balance: gathering the opinions of people so as to then mold them. It was explained it using the allegory of a fountain that feeds on the water of a river, only to then return it, transformed, to the stream before feeding once again on that slightly modified source, in a patient reiteration that eventually modifies the raw material through its own elements.

Another key role is played by the elderly cleaner Juana Mecha, whose rather random and cryptic utterances as she continually sweeps, are ascribed Delphic properties by the residents - for example that which opens my review, or, pertinent to a key theme of Quietism in Motion, “If you put everything in the wash together, the clothes lose their colour”.

The novel focuses on Max Michaels, who inherited a flat from his father, and is hired by Ponce and Perdures to find a candidate for the election to take Quietism in Motion, and in particular Perdures theory (expressed so well by Radiohead) that society needs an elite supported by a large bulk of the population that knows its place, to the next level.

Max ends up running for office himself, aiming to expose the cynicism of Ponce and Perdures' theories, but perhaps (this is left to the reader's interpretation) simply serving their purpose.

As I write this review, I can't help feel this is novel I would love to read! One obvious criticism is the sheer amount of exposition, but actually to me the main failing was the attempt to make this more of a conventional novel by giving Max more of a fleshed-out back story and his own cares and concerns (notably an odd love-affair with Nelly, the young editor of the property's house journal). Rabasa as highlighted the lack of character depth in his fiction as a weakness of Orwell, but perhaps this is actually a strength of Orwell's work:

His essays and journalistic pieces, and even some of his letters, were more compelling than his fiction. I think every main idea that made its way into the fiction was already there, more or less explicitly ... he himself admitted that he saw himself as a “pamphleteer,” and that every time he set out to write something, it was with a political purpose in mind, such as exposing a lie or advancing a cause. I think this is probably the reason why his style and even his characters sometimes lack depth, in strict literary terms.

(interview link below)

And at times the story rather loses focus - for example Max's election campaign is rather dominated not by conventional speeches but by performance art presented with two close friends (the origin of their relationship constituting another back story). After one complex allegorical game has been enacted, the house journal comments, rather reflecting this reader's view:

There's no doubt that something very intense happened in Plaza de Orden, but the problem is that no one knows just what it was.

or on another occasion:

The main problem is that no one, including himself, it seems to me, knows whether his shadow-theatre spectacle is actually showing us anything or is in fact hiding something.

To be fair to Rabasa he acknowledges the novel's potential 'flaws', particularly as seen by different readers, in this very honest and helpful interview: https://thenewinquiry.com/life-that-c...

Overall intriguing, and some wonderful ideas, but not entirely successful in its execution.

[Robert Wechsler]

An intelligently satirical view of a world that is a capitalist mirror-image of that in many Central and Eastern European novels during the Communist years, but without the characterizations. Just too much information for me. Glad I tasted it.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterpiece of political satire. A 1984 for neoliberalism. Funny, strange, sprawling, grand, ambitious, wildly inventive, and a future cult classic, you gotta read this book.

[Sofie · Rating 3 out of 5]

an unpredictable and interesting intertwining story with lots of very different and unpredictable subplots/tangents. i struggled a bit with this, i felt like there was a general lack of clarity.
many interesting and profound political ideas and debates and truths, but slightly too muddled in strange plot diversions for my taste. the book revolves around power, corruption, manhood, confusion, suppression, wealth versus poverty, debating with itself somehow over whether or not a housing complex/"suburb of a suburb", Villa Miserias is in steady state or not.
The novel focuses on a small election where we follow the young, upright, honest and insightful but emotionally drowning Max Michels. It takes a long time for us to be introduced to him, and to reach the actual election he registers for without the consent of the self-imposed boss Selon Perdumes.
Max falls in love with the mysterious and beautiful, almost chameleon-like Nelly (who reminded me a bit of the wife Connie in David Nicholl's Us). Both of their very different upbringings are portrayed and the strange mixture of madness and sanity they give each other is interesting.
The political theory aspects of Rabasa's thinking are folded in nicely, but I felt like the novel suffers under the complexity and/or multidimensionality of the rest of the story.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is so perfectly relevant and timely to our currently political landscape, particularly here in the US. It is a hilarious story of the bureaucratic absurdities of a community called Villa Miserias. This novel is far from perfect, and overarching narrative spreads thin at times, but the hilariously astute skewering of our political system keeps one engaged in a text that could have, in the hands of a more cold and cynical author, fallen into the territory of mere satirical farce or 'novel-of-ideas'. I highly recommend this one.

[Sebastián Báquiro Guerrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

El capitalismo es una forma de organización económica, la cual se sustenta en una auto regulación del mercado, apuntando a un crecimiento constante que deje de lado las ligazones sociales y las preocupaciones comunitarias. Villa Miserias, un conjunto residencial, va a aprender que lo mejor es aceptar la verdad del neoliberalismo capitalista, la cual no es otra que una individualización absoluta por la rendición de lo político ante lo económico. Este proyecto, por supuesto, no solo aplica a la distribución y producción de bienes, sino que tiene que ver con el alma humana, con su deseo, sus necesidades y sus formas de satisfacción. Este libro plasma de muy buena manera las cuestiones del capitalismo neoliberal, las pantallas progresistas que puede tener, pero, sobre todo, lo que implica una sociedad fundada en el egoísmo y en el progreso liberal. Además, vale destacar la construcción de personajes y, así como el capital toca lo más profundo del humano, la forma en la que los personajes se ve enceguecidos por la oscuridad en ojos ajenos; cómo el contacto humano tiene implicaciones que trascienden el tacto.

[Steven Felicelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Albert Cossery meets Raymond Roussel - I applaud the socio-political savagery, but it did not seem a sustainable narrative for 100 much less 400 pages - had I read it in 1990 I might have had a different opinion, but my tech-eroded brain just not up to this stuff any more

[Jug · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5
I think this book is best described as a bonfire.
As Rabasa struggles to get the sparks going, the first quarter of the book is painfully slow. Over the first 80 pages I considered dropping the book several times, but I pushed on due to seeing glimpses of promise.

Characters are introduced one by one, with their backstories told through a series of flashbacks in between rare occasions of the main character's internal monologues. BUT once the primary cast is introduced, Rabasa pours fuel onto the barely lit embers. The book's pacing accelerates at an exponential rate as the political satire approaches its climactic election.

Yes, the book is a political satire, but between the sometimes pedantic monologues is an engaging underdog story and a domestic relationship that approaches Gone Girl levels of thriller. While a solid pruning have done the book some good, what Rabasa has put together is definitely an incredible journey. Despite the its numerous flaws, A Zero-Sum Game is a remarkable critique of neoliberalism wrapped around a primary story that by itself would be worthy of acclaim.

If you're at all interested in political philosophy or the plights of modern democracy, Rabasa adds an unpredictable spin to an election story that truly kept me enraptured once it got started.

[Mark Fillmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times incredibly blunt, and others overly metaphorical, a Zero-Sum Game satirises the pitfalls of democracy and capitalism, especially where they intersect. Themes of power, ignorance, and freedom of choice dominate as Rabasa pits our highest ideals against our basest social nature, all within the setting of a relatively unassuming housing complex. Pulling from established Democratic Theory and Rabasa's own musings, this is a book that demands several reads in order to be fully appreciated and placed into context; whether you like that sort of writing will help you determine if you should pick up this book. Comes complete with the rare cliché ending that feels warranted and not like a cheap copout.

[Erik Ledezma · Rating 4 out of 5]

La novela futurista ubicada en el presente, hace una representación digna de algunos de los problemas fundamentales de las sociedades actuales. La perspectiva del autor es la de uno mismo, la de uno que quiere verse asi mismo como consciente y despierto en este andar nebuloso como sociedad sin darse cuenta que la mayor de las ideologias nos tiene considerados como excepciones permitidas, reguladas y utilizables. Es notorio la influencia de 1984 en el autor, pero la forma en la que descifra los oscuros de las estructuras sociales y las cupulas dominantes son tan precisas que hace falta sacar de las entrañas fuerzas para mantener la esperanza.

[Jerrod · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about 150 pages over a week and a half, and it just didn't interest me. It felt as if someone wanted to write a political science/sociology dissertation but didn't want to do field work, so they just made some crazy stuff up and used a housing complex as the setting. Parts of it were good. The book had hints of Rushdie but without the flair for storytelling and without the beautiful language, which makes it mostly just pedantic (credit to my wife for that description). Maybe the issue was with the translation, but I had to pass.

[Hank · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as you can feel Orwell's fingerprints here, you'll also feel the ghost of David Foster Wallace (see Broom of the System). Rabasa's book makes reality look absurd as it satirizes the nexus of democracy & consumerism. A distopian utopian novel where our very systems become impossible and ridiculous.

[Diana García · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plantea un tema importante, así como una buena sátira de la sociedad actual. Sin embargo, me parece que en ocasiones el autor pierde de vista el tema central de la novela, lo cual hace que pierdas el interés.

[Spiros Kakouris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well made political satire of the modern capitalist system and its inner workings.

[Jose Enrique Dupre Aramburu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una ventana al mundo urbano

[Kobe Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

it started out well but I didnt like the second half

[Rafael Pérez Vanzzini · Rating 4 out of 5]

"con extender un cheque para gente con quién no compartiríamos el escusado sin antes desinfectarlo, tachamos la casilla de responsabilidad social"

[paul holzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

La primera parte es buena- nos presenta El Barrio donde se transcurre el complot y el autor describe y narra bien las construcciones sociológicas, políticas y comunitarias del entorno de esta novela. En la segunda parte me perdí el interés cuando empezó a narrar la construcción del personaje principal. Entre la lentitud y las paginas que faltaban, casi 200, no pude más. Cedo la intriga al olvido.

[Stefan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel conflicted about this book.

As a satire of neoliberalism, capitalism, and western democracies, it is fantastic. Parts of this book are insightful, hilarious, well written, and intelligent. As a matter of fact, I bought sticky tabs for this book, and even underlined passages in pencil. As far as I can remember, I've never written on book pages (ok, I do rely on libraries quite often, but STILL, this book had enough cleverness to change my habits).

That said, it there are times it bogs down, and in particular the last quarter of the book is a bit deflating. It seems to oscillate between incendiary critique and tedious tangential plot elements and certainly in my mind ended on the latter. It sounds pretentious of me to judge a book this extensively, but I feel as though Rabasa might have benefited from a different editor, and it sounds overly simplistic but the book just felt too long. I'm not sure.

In summary this book has some excellent passages, insight, and even some terrific, memorable characters, some of whom are introduced in almost individual vignettes or short stories that don't add much to the plot but are some of the most enjoyable parts of the book. 3 Stars - I liked it. Certainly worth picking up a copy if the subject matter interests you - I found the book particularly interesting in the context of the American Democratic Party capitulating to a nonsensical Trump under the weight of it's own horrendously insensitive politics.

[Helena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me interesa como pieza política y también como sátira pero no se si es una gran novela.

Hay cierto regodeo de quienes se perciben tanto cultos como inteligentes en las ideas que pueden montar ante el mundo. Pero la inteligencia en la literatura se ve cuando la complejidad esta escondida no cuando es mostrada como un artefacto más de aquello que "soy capaz de hacer"

"Los juegos del hambre" es una saga muy mediocre que se apoya en ideas que le quedan grandes. "La suma de los ceros" podría ser lo inverso. Las ideas son muy grandes pero la agilidad que requiere la literatura no existe, no está. No se trata de paciencia a la hora de leer. Se trata de que leer es antes que nada un placer y a veces, demasiadas veces, algunos se olvidan.

[!Tæmbuŝu]

Reviewed by The Complete Review

[Carlos_Tongoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** (casi ****)

[Brooke Salaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surreal and I have to say rather sloppily edited but intriguing tale of a young man, Max Michels, who grows up with a disturbed older father who paints his nose with a purple substance whenever he lies. This requires the father to force him to tell a lie since it doesn’t come naturally so he can then administer this perverse punishment. The father has a quote displayed “the measure of a man is how much truth he can tolerate” or something like that. Max becomes candidate for the presidency of the tenants of Villas Miserias, a bizarre complex of buildings that seems to have adopted the most extreme Darwinian philosophy of survival of the fittest and everyone else can subsist on the scraps of the “winners”. He runs on a platform of extreme honesty and refusing to pander and make any of the usual political disingenuous promises. He carries this to an absurd degree and it almost appears that people will find it refreshing and put him in office. That doesn’t happen, but the mastermind of the existing system, Selon Perdume, vanishes without a trace, or even any acknowledgment that he ever existed, perhaps due to the extreme shock represented by Max exposing the underpinnings of the structure he has erected.

[William O. II]

Read the English translation from Deep Vellum Publishing. Great absurdist takedown of contemporary neoliberal society.