The Berlin Wall fell 20 years ago so today is as good a day as any to announce the publication of my new book, From “Che” to China: Labor and Authoritarianism in the New Global Economy.

Here is the back cover blurb:

From ‘Che’ to China: Labor and Authoritarianism in the New Global Economy argues that globalization is not a progressive force that is giving rise to a new democratic capitalism. In fact, authoritarianism, in part influenced by neo-stalinist regimes and their intellectual architects such as ‘Che’ Guevara, remains an important political force and the new global capitalism itself is contributing to its persistence. In particular, the labor organization is now seen by authoritarian regimes as a source of power and control over the general population. To realize the democratic potential in the globalization process, a new autonomous labor movement responsible to its rank and file members must emerge. This requires an intellectual break with the consensus view that capitalism can safely accommodate healthy trade unions in a stable world order.

As I argue in the book, formal stalinism has disappeared but it is being replaced by what I call “neo-Stalinism” as well as authoritarian forms of capitalism.