“前庭”与“后院”——如何讲述一个完整的资本主义故事

Foreground and Background:How to Tell a Complete Story of Capitalism

马克思的经典资本主义批判理论有两个核心观点:一是认为资本主义是史前史的顶点,代替它的将是自由人的联合体,即共产主义;二是认为资本主义的真正限制是资本本身,因此,资本主义的内在矛盾,包括经济矛盾和阶级矛盾,将导致资本主义的灭亡和共产主义的胜利。然而,资本主义的故事不是资本的独角戏,而是资本与非资本领域的“他者”之间的复杂缠斗。南茜·弗雷泽近年来致力于结合各种资源,构建一种以资本主义批判为核心的社会批判理论。在她看来,资本主义不仅是一套经济体系,也是一个复杂的社会系统。资本主义经济内部要素的矛盾及其生产体系的两大阶级的冲突只是其“前庭”故事,而其经济系统与支撑它的社会背景条件之间的冲突是其“后院”故事。一个扩展的资本主义观念要坚持双重批判的视角。在马克思主义传统中,对资本主义与“他者”关系的探讨有着悠久的谱系。弗雷泽的独特贡献是对其进行主题化,并提出了核心概念和分析框架。然而,其理论并没有穷尽这个主题,实际上,除弗雷泽强调的人的再生产、自然和政治权力外,人类基因和人脑智能、语言与文化、人的社会性和交往愿望等都是资本依赖的、又可能对其造成破坏的背景条件,就此而言,“扩展的资本主义”观念还需要再扩展。

Marx's classical critical theory of capitalism has two core points:(1)the capitalism is the apex of human prehistory,and it will be replaced by an association of free individuals,namely communism;and(2)the limit of capitalism is capital itself.Therefore,the inherent problems of capitalism,including economic problems and class struggle,will lead to the fall of capitalism and the victory of communism.However,the story of capitalism is not a monologue of capital,but a complex struggle between capital and the"other"of non-capital factors or fields.In recent years,Nancy Fraser has devoted herself to elaborating critical theory focusing on critique and diagnosis of neoliberalist capitalism.In her view,capitalism is not only an economic system,but also a complex social order.The problems between the internal elements of the capitalist economic system and the conflict between the two classes of its production system are only its foreground story.However,behind it,there is another background story around conflicts between its economic system and the social background conditions.The conception of extended capitalism should adhere to the perspective of dual critique.Actually,in the Marxist tradition there is a long story around the relationship between capitalism and the"other."Fraser's unique contribution is to thematize it and present the core concepts and analytical framework.However,her theory is not exhaustive.In fact,in addition to the reproduction and natural and political power of human beings mentioned by Fraser,human genes and intelligence,language and culture,and human sociality and communication desire are all the background conditions on which capital depends and which it also damages.In this regard,the conception of extended capitalism needs to be extended.