25 Days of Socialist Christmas

Day 22: Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come book recommendation — Four Futures by Peter Frase

In this page-turner, Peter Frase predicts the collapse of the capitalist system into one of four new economic models, each with its own compelling chapter. Arranging the four along an x- and y-axis describing equality/hierarchy and abundance/scarcity, he gives hopeful and cynical views of the future and emphasizes the role of choice at the crossroads. Climate change and automation contradictions are named as two of the most important looming phenomena in this book and he uses those concepts throughout. The four futures include:

Communism: Equality and abundance. A world beyond classes and money, where all people have their essential needs met, where gift economies thrive and reputations are the only “hierarchies” remaining.

Rentism: Hierarchy and abundance. A world defined by hyper-strict enforcement of intellectual property and copyright, where barriers and poverty are upheld even when 3D printers and open-sourcing could easily meet the needs of the many.

Socialism: Equality and scarcity. A world ravaged by the worst effects of climate change, where much work needs to be done but communities come together to celebrate the solarpunk ideal.

Exterminism: Hierarchy and scarcity. A world of openly fascist violence inflicted by the powerful onto the powerless, where limited automation produces just enough to feed the ruling class yet still renders the working class economically-redundant.

The choice is clear: socialism or barbarism! I’ve read this book several times over the last couple years and I love it. Hopefully y’all will too.