Davydov Dmitry
Latov Yuri
Employing sociological methodologies, this paper investigates the contemporary preconditions for a post-capitalist transition as reflected in mass consciousness. While the socio-philosophical dichotomy of “capitalism vs socialism” proves increasingly inadequate for characterizing modern societal trends, it serves as a heuristic framework to assess the extent to which a critical stance toward the prevailing capitalist system has permeated public discourse, alongside the perceived (un)attractiveness of its socialist alternative. Through a systematic analysis of longitudinal sociological data (2000s–2020s), this study compares attitudes toward socialism in Russia (drawing primarily on surveys by the Institute of Sociology, FRC RAS) and the United States (utilizing Pew Research Center data). The findings reveal a pronounced Russian preference for socialist ideals over capitalist ones: as of 2024, 41 % of respondents viewed socialism positively, compared to merely 12 % for capitalism. This inclination manifests more strongly in affective dispositions than in ideological self-identification, with only ~20% explicitly endorsing communist or social democratic principles, while a substantial proportion remains indifferent to both systems. In the U.S. – long considered capitalism’s paradigmatic case – sympathy for socialism remains comparatively muted yet non-negligible: during the 2010s, approximately one-third of citizens expressed favorable views toward socialism, while a quarter held negative perceptions of free-market economics. These results suggest that, although not hegemonic, socialist sympathizers constitute a significant minority (25–33 %) in both nations – a pattern characteristic of transitional historical epochs. The study concludes by critically engaging with arguments dismissing socialism’s contemporary viability, while advancing a theoretically grounded case for its 21st-century developmental potential. The persistence of competing socialist visions, alongside this measurable baseline of public support, underscores the ongoing ideological contestation shaping post-capitalist possibilities.
Keywords: post-capitalist development; socialism; capitalism; formational shift; mass consciousness; post-Marxism
Loskutov Yuri
This article presents the author’s perspective on the ongoing inter-formational transition from capitalism to post-capitalism (post-capitalist social revolution), building upon foundational works in the field. The successful realization of this transition hinges on overcoming the profound – and often devastating – systemic crises of contemporary capitalism, encompassing demographic, environmental, and cultural dimensions. Such transcendence, the author argues, necessitates a shift from ideological metanarratives to an ontological framework grounded in social theory. Employing a substantive approach rooted in Marxist social ontology, the article examines the philosophical problem of social revolution. Within this framework, the ontology of complex self-developing systems (including social formations) demands post-classical rationality, which operates polylogically in the context of social self-analysis. Crucially, the development (and self-development) of productive forces is identified as the sole catalyst of inter-formational transitions membranes gradually beyond commodified social relations, ultimately dismantling the capitalist socioeconomic order.
Keywords: social revolution; post-capitalism; social substance; universal labor; post-nonclassical rationality
Rebrov Sergey
This article interrogates contemporary post-capitalist thought through the frameworks of political theology and post-secularization theory. Its central argument posits that projects seeking to transcend capitalism frequently operate as secularized iterations of Christian eschatology: capitalism assumes the role of a modern Fall, while the post-capitalist future functions as an immanentized analogue of the Kingdom of God. The analysis unfolds in three movements. First, it examines the immanentization of the eschaton – the translation of religious teleology into secular socio-political programs. Second, it scrutinizes historical materialism as a form of salvation history, wherein the proletariat assumes messianic agency and communism emerges as both the terminus of alienation and the culmination of humanity’s prehistory. Third, it deciphers narratives of capitalism’s demise as secularized renditions of the Fall’s abolition, wherein market relations and private property – framed as historical aberrations – await redemption through progressive political action. Concluding with Voegelin and Löwith, the article demonstrates how such theories inherit a chiliastic structure, replacing divine transcendence with human political praxis. This theological substrate, while endowing post-capitalist thought with moral-utopian vitality, simultaneously renders it vulnerable to conceptual blurring between scientific and religious categories.
Keywords: post-capitalism; communism; political theology; eschatology; apocalypse; Marxism; secularization; progressivism
Fishman Leonid
The article distinguishes between socialism and postcapitalism. Socialism (the Soviet or Western version of the welfare state) is described as a way of thinking for social strata striving to enter the ranks of the middle class. Its most conscious members use the
standards of living of this class as a model when imagining their desired future. Its values are materialistic, and its visions of the future are largely standardized. Postcapitalism is a mindset characteristic of a relatively financially secure segment of the population.
It is one of the means of political self-expression for those who already belong to the middle class and wish to maintain this position in the future. This explains the commitment to postmaterialist values and the significant diversity of ideas about the future. Socialism,
and to some extent, modern capitalism, are therefore phenomena of yesterday. The postcapitalism of tomorrow could be realized if social groups already existed today whose standard of living, opportunities, lifestyle, and image were achievable for large masses of the population and therefore became objects of mass emulation. Since such groups do not exist, the postcapitalist left faces stagnation and competition from right-wing and populist opponents who partially fulfill their program of yesterday.
Keywords: socialism; postcapitalism; postmaterialist values; middle class
Davydov Dmitry
This article examines contemporary debates on the prospects of post-capitalist social relations and the emergence of a new societal paradigm. It distinguishes between two discursive frameworks on hypothetical post-capitalist society: deprivational and utopian. The former associates capitalism’s decline with the struggle of the exploited and oppressed, who consciously strive for a society of equality and justice, while the latter emphasizes emerging possibilities, primarily driven by technological advancement. Both perspectives are subjected to critique. The analysis contends that current socio-structural conditions lack the prerequisites for a political-revolutionary transition from capitalism to socialism. Similarly, the technological optimism underpinning utopian projections relies on overly optimistic – and often naïve – assumptions about the pace of scientific and technical progress. Instead, the article proposes shifting focus to alternative trajectories in which capitalism’s decline entails a transformation of the mode of production that does not necessarily culminate in socialism or communism. The waning of capitalism is framed as the erosion of an accumulation model based on the mass extraction of surplus value from commodified labor or wage employment. The article advances an alternative framework in which emerging production relations are increasingly shaped by relatively autonomous individuals accumulating their own capital resources – knowledge, skills, creative competencies, and, crucially, attention as the scarcest resource of the informational age. This shift is conceptualized as a transition from capitalism to what might be termed personalism. Empirical evidence demonstrates that economic activity is already undergoing significant personalization, marked by the growing sphere of economic agents operating independently of wage labor. This trend is exemplified by the rapid expansion of solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, gig workers, and content creators. The article concludes by underscoring the need for a more rigorous critical theory to address the contradictions of contemporary society, while cautioning against undue pessimism in assessing these transformations.
Keywords: post-capitalism; capitalism; neo-feudalism; techno-feudalism; social classes; the personaliat; attention economy; creative economy; gig economy; artificial intelligence; social inequality
