Review by Choice Review
J.K. Gibson-Graham (pseudonym for a pair of Marxist-feminist Australian geographers) argues that political economists have inappropriately construed capitalism. Chapters, many derived from earlier papers, are loosely linked, and the authors assume familiarity on the part of their readers with a wide range of authors (including Althusser, Derrida, and of course Marx), providing only elliptical references to original works and using many technical terms. Furthermore, many relevant strands of literature, notably most of feminist economics, are not discussed. The authors argue that any one person can participate in numerous class processes and that a range of economic systems, including slavery, feudalism, and capitalism, can coexist peacefully for long periods of time. This means that socialism need not require an overthrow of capitalism, but can also coexist and transform societies slowly. The analysis is feminist in stressing that women who labor mainly in the household sphere are not bystanders to the class struggle, but rather are intimately involved in class processes and economic systems. Definitely not for beginners, but overlong for those familiar with the ongoing debates in political economy. Those wanting a concise overview of the main argument can read the final chapter. Graduate; faculty. J. P. Jacobsen Wesleyan University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
