Capitalism viewed from the right

Alain de Benoist is the “dark sheep” of the European intelligentsia, situated somewhere to the right of the currently acceptable. The works of this Frenchman should apparently not be referenced in polite company and high society. In the Anglosphere, De Benoist's books are promoted by Arktos, who have also brought us the oeuvres of Alexander Dugin, Julius Evola and Guillaume Faye. Thus, I have to start off this review with the disclaimer that I, of course, do not support this outrageous character in any way. That being said, we can now proceed.

“On the Brink of the Abyss” is a collection of essays on the finance crisis and its aftermath. Interestingly, Benoist's analysis of the events sounds almost Marxist. Although he never uses the terms “tendency of the rate of profit to fall” or “accumulation for accumulation's sake”, he obviously believes that this is the root of our present predicament. He does use the term “overproduction”.

The capitalists want to increase their profits at the expense of wages, salaries and taxes. Yet, in order to create consumer demand (and hence profits), wages, salaries and public spending have to be high. The contradiction is “solved” by forcing consumers and entire nations to borrow enormous amounts of money for consumption, while almost extirpating real savings and lowering the wage levels. Capitalism also turns towards financial manipulations and speculations, not to mention sheer plunder of public sector resources, while real production becomes less important. The production that still exists is outsourced to poorer nations, where wages can be kept at a minimum. When the bubble bursts, the banks and the financial elite controlling them expect to be bailed out by the state (i.e. the tax-payers), and then continue just as before. De Benoist believes that the current crisis is more deep-seated and structural than the Great Depression. One example of many is that not just workers but also the middle class is being attacked. Due to its high salaries and other “privileges”, the middle strata are seen as a hindrance to further capital accumulation. The international financial systems are fundamentally unstable and can crack at any moment, and only a new world war can “solve” the capitalist crisis by massive war production and post-war reconstruction.

While Benoist's analysis sounds “Marxist”, his solutions are not. At the very least, they are different from those proposed by much of the contemporary left. Obviously, this luminary of the French New Right also has serious differences with the classical Marxists (Marx, Engels, Lenin, etc). De Benoist is opposed to immigration, seeing is as a tool of the bosses to keep the wages and salaries down. His alternative to free trade and globalization is not alter-globalization or “proletarian internationalism”, but rather protectionism trough high tariff walls, opposition to the free movement of both capital and labor, and a union of sovereign European nation-states. His opposition to capitalism is coupled with an opposition to cultural liberalism and hedonism, which he believes are connected to economic liberalism and capitalist greed. The reason why the “left of the 68” increasingly adapts to economic liberalism, is that it's cultural program is really the other side of the neo-liberal coin.

That Alain de Benoist's opposition to capitalism comes from the right is most obvious in the last essay, where he attacks the free market economy for destroying traditional communities and aristocratic values, with the bourgeoisie turning everything into a question of money and profit. As an alternative, he mentions both peasant rebellions extolled by Marxists (such as the Great Peasant War in 16th century Germany) and reactionary revolts, such as the war in the Vendée during the French revolution. However, he also says that he is willing to see everyone who fights capitalism and imperialism as an ally, from Cuba to Christians (De Benoist is a pagan). What he thinks of ISIS and Putin might be interesting…

A more surprising essay defends the idea of an annual guaranteed income, in the form of an unconditional government subsidy to all citizens to meet basic needs. The author believes that this will strengthen the community feeling and civic spirit. I can understand why an old fashioned European conservative might want to have certain social security systems, but usually they are dependent on distinctions between “the deserving poor” and the undeserving ones, those willing to take work and those who are work-shy, etc. For some reason, Benoist wants every citizen to get the citizen's wage with no further demands. He even references André Gorz and Paul Lafargue!

Since most of Alain de Benoist's writings aren't available in English, it's difficult for me to fully judge his ideas (except that I'm more “leftist” than the author). One thing that struck me when reading “On the Brink of the Abyss” is that the author never discusses the ecological crisis and the energy crisis. Does he deny their reality? Or does he believe that they can be overcome? If so, how? Can the living standard of the European and North American middle classes be restored to its previously high level by protectionism, anti-immigration measures and tougher regulations on financial markets in a world marked by peak oil and run-away climate change? Another problem is that De Benoist, this supposedly dangerous rebel, seems to lack a real program of action for political change. While denouncing “reformism” and constantly toying with the idea of revolution (even quoting “Chairman” Mao), he eventually seems more interested in aristocratic self-improvement.

Ultimately, even “Camelots” who read the writings of this creature of the night might go away disappointed…