Radical thought in Italy

[sjunne@xxxxxxxxxx (Jan Sjunnesson)]

 Hardt and P. Virno has published a nice collection of recent texts in the
autonomist strain, Radical thought in italy ( Univ of Minnesota Press,
1996, isbn o-8166-2552-2 , hbk).

List of contributors: M. de Carolis, A, Zanini, R. Rossanda, C. Vercellone,
A. del Re, M. Revelli, F. Piperno, M. Lazzarato,  G.  Agemben, a.
Illuminati (nice name ),  e A. Negri.

What strikes me  most is the  last chapter  where  Paolo Virno goes through
the Counter - revolution in Italy. How the  slogans and life styles of '77
was caught be the right, that is,  temporary work, play of identities.
digital leisure/work,  self- entrepeneurial radicals turned port-folio
carries in 80's.

   "The concept of 'professionalism' was thus radically redefined ( by the
metropolitan indian , various left/ alternative groups in late 70s). What
is valued in and demanded of the single worker no longer includs the
'virutes' tradtionally acquired  in the workplace as a result of industrial
discipline. The really decisive compentencies needed to complte the tasks
demanded by a post- Fordist production are those acquired outside the
processes of direct production, in the 'live world' /.../ The movement of
'77 was thus put to work. Its nomandism, its distaste for a stable job, ite
entrepreneurial self- sufficiency, even its taste fo r individual autonomy
and experimentation, wee all brought together in the capitalist
organizatino of production. It is sufficinet, to point to the massive
growth in Italy in the 80s of 'autonomous labor', or rather the set of
microbusinesses. . . " p.249

I agree  and this was done before, in  1969 when the hippie and radical
looks  went commercial and a whole new way of relating to people became a
better way to produce, at least in  some public institutions, art,
advertisment, media,  etc.  Also, a whole range of goods became accessible
to working class by its mass production. Capital reterritorializes - but we
(who?) deterritorialize again  - etc etc.

Jan

Jan Sjunnesson
Linn=E9gatan 18
S-753 32 Uppsala, SWEDEN
(+46)- 018-12 66 24
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