Relevance and potential of Mark Fisher's notion of "postcapitalism"

Abstract

We analyze the relevance and strength of the concept of “postcapitalism” developed by Mark Fisher, based on his critique of “capitalist realism,” understood as the naturalization of the idea that capitalism is the only possible system. Fisher argues that capitalism functions not only as an economic system, but also as a libidinal regime that captures desire, imagination, and subjectivity—even through protest against itself. This form of capitalism, by incorporating countercultural demands and promises of individual freedom, generates precarity and anxiety under the illusion of autonomy. In response, Fisher emphasizes the need to imagine desirable and viable alternatives from within the system itself, appealing to forms of desire, imagination, and organization that are not entirely captured by capital. The postcapitalism of interest is not just any scenario beyond capitalism, but one articulated from the left, capable of proposing new modes of life, labor, and subjectivation. Also revisits certain historical and recent events, such as the Chilean social uprising, to reflect on the fragility of anticapitalist movements when they lack sustainability or inclusiveness. Ultimately, the text characterizes what might be called an exit through immanence, recognizing the most useful and compelling elements already present in contemporary culture, and advocates for the reinvention of collective forms of authority, organization, and desire that could open pathways toward a plural, and desirable postcapitalism.