Enmig d’onades de crisis econòmiques, sanitàries, climàtiques, etc., i de lluita de classes i reacció neofeixista, pocs tenen la claredat i la capacitat analítica del teòric de renom mundial David Harvey, un dels marxistes vius més importants del món.
A Les cròniques anticapitalistes, Harvey introdueix noves maneres d’entendre la crisi del capitalisme global i les lluites per un món millor. A través de capítols molt ben defi nits i estructurats, refl exiona sobre el neoliberalisme, el capitalisme, la globalització, el medi ambient, la tecnologia, els moviments socials, l’alienació, les crisis… Amb una brillantor característica, Harvey descriu la violència i el desastre, però també l’esperança i la possibilitat.
Les cròniques anticapitalistes és el primer llibre de David Harvey traduït al català i serà d’importància estratègica per a qualsevol persona que vulgui entendre i canviar el món en què vivim.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
David Harvey (born 1935) is the Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). A leading social theorist of international standing, he graduated from University of Cambridge with a PhD in Geography in 1961.
He is the world's most cited academic geographer (according to Andrew Bodman, see Transactions of the IBG, 1991,1992), and the author of many books and essays that have been prominent in the development of modern geography as a discipline.
His work has contributed greatly to broad social and political debate, most recently he has been credited with helping to bring back social class and Marxist methods as serious methodological tools in the critique of global capitalism, particularly in its neoliberal form.
If you’ve reading this, you may have noticed some extreme reviews that are, ah... extra. Ignore them. For the topics being covered, David Harvey is among the best to read. He’s clear, concise, and a well-regarded communicator in his field.
We don’t turn books about baking cupcakes into cosmic-scale online battles over whether people should eat food itself. And so we’re capable of reading, and commenting on, the specific topic of the book. ...well, not everyone here, obviously. But YOU are! 😁
The book reads easily. You don’t need to come equipped with a lot of background knowledge or theory. You’ll get a very thorough description of what Harvey (and many others) regard as a problem, and a selection of efforts that have been/are being undertaken to combat the problem. You’re a reading, thinking, talking being—you can process the information you read critically, and then make up your own mind.
I’m very familiar with the subject matter, and I still found a lot to enjoy in the book. Even if I were to disagree with the author, I think this book would be worth understanding.
Some insights into Harvey's thinking in a conversational, even exploratory, way.
"Finally, one point. It is often said that in order to achieve socialism, we have to surrender our individuality and we have to give up something. Well, to some degree, yes, that might be true; but there is, as Polanyi insisted, a greater freedom to be achieved when we go beyond the cruel realities of individualized market freedoms. I read Marx as saying the task is to maximize the realm of individual freedom, but that can only happen when the realm of necessity is taken care of. The task of a socialist society is not to regulate everything that goes on in society; not at all. The task of a socialist society is to make sure that all of the basic necessities are taken care of – freely provided – so that people can then do exactly what they want when they want. It’s not only that individuals have access to the resources to do it, but they also have the time to do it. Freedom – free time – real free time – is something which is absolutely crucial to the idea of a socialist society. Genuinely free time for everyone to do whatever they like is the measure of what socialism aspires to."
interessantíssim, petites píndoles d’anàlisis de diferents àmbits de la societat capitalista des d’una òptica marxista actualitzada i didàctica. Molt interessant veure les relacions i reflexions entorn de neoliberalisme-neofeixisme, màquines-treballadors, capitalisme-covid-19, l’alienació, el canvi climàtic, etc.
This is a great little book which reads like exactly what it is - almost a transcription of David Harvey's "Anti Capitalist Chronicles" podcast. This gives it a great conversational style and makes it light on theory despite being written by one of the foremost writers on Marx's theory. This makes it a great route into thinking about how to apply the theory to practical situations in short digestible bursts, with links to books of more significant theory that talk to the issue at hand, and with questions to prompt further thought. It ends with a rallying cry to use the COVID19 pandemic as a lever to change society for the better, something which unfortunately looks like being thoroughly ignored by both government and opposition in the UK.
Long-time fan of the podcast, and I think each chapter is valuable and well structured. The content is stellar, but the delivery is not. It reads like a collection of transcripts rather than a cohesive whole, even retaining speech mannerisms.
Would absolutely recommend the content, put would suggest you check out the podcast instead.
Tothom hauria de llegir-lo, almenys tothom que vulgui fer una reflexió sobre la possibilitat de canviar l'status quo, i crec que moltes més podriem creure en la possibilitat d'aquest canvi i, més encara, en perquè ser anticapitalista hauria de ser la norma i no l'excepció. Apart d'això, increïble com un senyor que va escriure la seva obra mestra el 1848 va dir coses que encara aguanten avui dia al 2024.
As always Harvey's writing is great. Each chapter is short and accessible, covering a different topic of contemporary relevance with reference to Marxist theory. It just didn't feel particularly novel or interesting as a collection though. I guess it's a nice introduction to 2020 Harvey, but there are better texts on marxist theory that are relevant today
3.5 stars... Good, interesting, then a bit boring. First few chapters were great, and then it got very repetitive. The book kind of reads out like a transcript of Harvey's podcast with the same name (which I preferred)
Un llibre molt interessant per a copsar una visió contemporània del capitalisme, des d'un punt de vista marxista. El que més he apreciat del llibre ha estat la capacitat de Harvey de disseccionar una realitat que va tan ràpid que sovint se'ns escola entre els dits. Trobo bons, també, els moments en què recorre a idees de Marx i les actualitza, les fa viure en el nostre moment. El penúltim capítol sobre tecnologia és grandiós; el que parla de la petjada de carboni m'ha semblat un xic vergonyós. Tot i que està bé acostar-nos al canvi climàtic des de la massa de CO2 ja acumulada com a immediatament problemàtica, Harvey diu que és més important eliminar-la que centrar-nos en reduir les emissions. I com vol eliminar el CO2 que pobla l'atmosfera? Amb tecnologia! En aquest punt falla Harvey, tristament, demostrant una fe en les possibilitats científiques i tecnològiques irreal; és precisament un dels temes dels quals parla Andreu Escrivà, a Contra la sostenibilitat diria, la necessitat de deixar de pensar en la ciència com a divinitat.
The Anti-Capitalist Chronicles is an incisive empirical approach to dissecting the negative impacts of capital. True to his academic stature, Harvey's book is rich in examples. He weaves in important details to support his Marxist argument, from socialist uprisings in the streets of Latin America to the hallways of Wall Street's glass headquarters of finance capitalism.
What was most delightful to me was Harvey's tone of voice. It was grandfatherly. The book sails on in a calm, measured but passionate voice. The soothing nature of the narrative is a refreshing departure from the typical Leninist megaphone tirades that pervade so much of Marxist writing. The book's critics are typically from the revolutionary left that wishes to hasten a communist utopia in the here and now. But I feel that confident voices of reason such as Harvey's are much more needed in a world suffering from violence--both physical and economic.
The banner of Marx has been historically dyed in blood. It is time for that colour to be changed.
Amb les cròniques anticapitalistes David Harvey fa un sòlid repàs de la història de l'acumulació del capital que ens ha dut fins al present i la situació actual. Els capítols del llibre van assentant les bases teòriques i d'anàlisi amb les que exposa com podem construir els futurs moviments socials d'alliberament col·lectiu per què siguin efectius i puguin fer la seva feina. Llegit he pogut aprendre molts conceptes que crec que son clau per entendre com vivim i com està organitzat el món avui en dia. De nosaltres depèn agafar les seves reflexions i les de tants altres abans d'ell i construir un món nou.
Al secondo libro di Harvey che leggo, posso confermare che è un grande divulgatore, ma diventa un pò pesante quando parla di geopolitica, di cui è esperto. I primi 8 capitoli sono fondamentali e dovrebbero essere letti nelle scuole, i restanti leggermente più complicati. Riesce a porsi le giuste domande e indicare una direzione nella ricerca verso un'uscita dal capitalismo? Non direi, ma resta comunque un buon libro.
Ok I have just finished reading David’s book, for the first time and know that I need to read it again. The book draws heavily from Marx and this is not a criticism, on the contrary it demonstrates how Marx, in very relatable language, was centuries ahead of his time.
This is a collection of short essays, basically musings from Harvey on everyday life. I think they were originally podcasts. Each essay will spark discussions and get you thinking. Harvey is a refreshingly undogmatic and unapologetic Marxist, nuanced and questioning. It’s quite an easy read, well worth it.
Crec que ha estat una bona manera d'introduir-se al pensament de Harvey. El llenguatge és prou assequible i didàctic donat que es basa en una transcripció del podcast "Anti-Capitalist Chronicles" (https://open.spotify.com/show/5g81Kkl...). M'ha semblat molt interessant quan parla del paper de la Xina en l'àmbit mundial i el seu funcionament intern.
Per chi non ha mai letto di capitalismo e anticapitalismo può essere una buona infarinatura iniziale ma per il resto mi pare una ripetizione abbastanza piatta della teoria marxista e di alcune sue interpretazioni abbastanza lineari e non troppo dirompenti. Insomma... Mi aspettavo un po' meglio da tutta la fanfara...
Harvey clearly knows what he is talking about, but this book could have used several more rounds of edits. The same stats/anecdotes/data routinely come up from chapter to chapter, often verbatim from earlier occurrences. Harvey also refers to “things” and “stuff” and the lack of specificity undermines his argument. This is very possibly an issue with adapting the book from a podcast series.
A great book for anyone wondering if there can be a better way to work and live. Harvey breaks down not only how we got in this mess with capital but lays out the path to the future. Indeed! Why can't we.
In addition to an update on theory, Harvey offers us a current and powerful reading of contemporary capitalism through the lens of Marxism. The coolest thing of all is being able to follow the reading with the podcast episodes and feel like you're in a class, chapter by chapter.
Excel·lent recull d escrits. Amb claretat i contundència, però amb els peus en terra, Hervey ens convida a reflexionar sobre el sentit de la societat actual i la necessitat de treballar en un canvi radical de la mateixa.