The prospects of the alt-left

A left-wing sociologist ponders the chances of anti-capitalist radical left-wing movements and parties. She suggests that it would take the creation of a global working class for the alt-left to secure a political breakthrough.

In Mérce, sociologist Erzsébet Szalai discusses the lack of success of alt-left parties in the EP election. Szalai recalls that both radical right-wing as well as ‘green liberal’ parties increased their support, while radical left-wing parties failed to do so. Szalai believes that the main reason for this is that alt-left parties can no longer advocate egalitarian politics within the nation-state framework, but in the absence of a global working class, nor can they stand for global equality. Szalai, however, suspects that a roughly homogeneous global working class will emerge sooner or later as a result of global capitalism. At that point, anti-capitalist parties will become more popular, she speculates. In order to achieve a breakthrough, Szalai adds, the alt-left needs to start an ideological campaign and spread its worldview in society.

Tags: alt-left