[Marxism] "We are living in a time of utopia" : Wallerstein

[Ruthless Critic of All that Exists]

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During your conference at the Maison de l'Europe, on 20 February,
Daniel Bensaïd declared: "Since 1991, our époque, in a way, has
resembled 1830-1840, i.e. a utopian moment when the possible doesn't
have a face yet.  Hence, in the figure of the alterglobalization
movement, the frequency of the term "Other," which is the unknown, the
indefinite."  Do you share his analysis?

Wallerstein: In my opinion, this moment did not begin in 1991 but in
1968, when one witnessed a beginning of the collapse of great truths
established and accepted for a very long time.  In this type of
period, it is normal for people to fall into confusion, not knowing
what to do.  Obviously, this impotence was reinforced again after
1991, when the Soviet Union, which had till then seemed immovable,
ended up breaking down.  Since then, it is especially the Left that
has seemed at a loss for points of reference, with a great deal of
pessimism.  However, I believe that today we are seeing neoliberal
globalization, which has extended itself everywhere since then,
starting to show its limits: with the Zapatistas, Social Forums,
Seattle, Genoa, people went back to discussion, in search of new
experiments, new solutions.  In 2002, I wrote an article in which I
said: "The United States has already lost its hegemony!"  At that
time, people treated me as if I were crazy, but I don't believe I was
mistaken after all: we are there, the United States is well on its way
to losing its hegemony!  That is why I believe that Bensaïd is right
to say that we are now in a "time of Utopia"; for my part, I would
rather call it a search for alternatives, where one wonders "what is
to be done?". . .  It seems to me that the Right, too, is increasingly
finding itself in doubt, also raising the question "what is to be
done? ". . .


From: Interview with Immanuel Wallerstein
         The original interview in French was published in _Politis_
on 6 March 2008.  Translation by Yoshie Furuhashi.

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