Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire

In their international bestseller Empire, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri presented a grand unified vision of a world in which the old forms of imperialism are no longer effective. But what of Empire in an age of “American empire”? Has fear become our permanent condition and democracy an impossible dream? Such pessimism is profoundly mistaken, the authors argue. Empire, by interconnecting more areas of life, is actually creating the possibility for a new kind of democracy, allowing different groups to form a multitude, with the power to forge a democratic alternative to the present world order.Exhilarating in its optimism and depth of insight, Multitude consolidates Hardt and Negri’s stature as two of the most important political philosophers at work in the world today.

Table of Contents:
Preface: Life in Common 1. War 1.1 Simplicissimus Exemptions Golem The GLobla State of War Biopower and Security Legitimate Violence Samuel Huntington, Geheimrat 1.2 Counterinsurgencies Birth of the New War Revolution in Military Affairs The Mercenary and the Patriot Asymmetry and Full-Spectrum Dominance 1.3 Resistance The Primacy of Resistance From the People's Army to Guerrilla Warfare Inventing Network Struggles Swarm Intelligence From Biopower to Biopolitical Production 2. Multitude 2.1 Dangerous Classes The Becoming Common of Labor The Twilight of the Peasant World Two Italians in India The Wealth of the Poor (or, We Are the Poors!) Demonic Multitudes: Dostoyevsky Reads the Bible Excursus 1: Method: In Marx's Footsteps Death of the Dismal Science? 2.2 De Corpore Global Apartheid A Trip to Davos Big Government Is Back Life on the Market 2.3 Traces of the Multitude The Monstrosity of the Flesh Invasion of the Monsters Production of the Common Beyond Private and Public Carnival and Movement Mobilization of the Common Excursus 2: Organization: Multitude on the Left 3. Democracy 3.1 The Long March of Democracy Crisis of Democracy in the Era of Armed Globalization The Unfinished Democratic Project of Modernity Debtors' Rebellion The Unrealized Democracy of Socialism Revolt, Berlin From Democratic Representation to GLobal Public Demands White Overalls 3.2 Global Demands for Democracy Caheirs de doléances Convergence in Seattle Experiments in Global Reform Back to the Eighteenth Century! Excursus 3: Strategy: Geopolitics and New Alliances 3.3 Democracy of the Multitude Sovereignty and Democracy May the Force Be with You The New Science of Democracy: Madison and Lenin Notes Index

About the Author :
Michael Hardt is a professor in the literature program at Duke University. Antonio Negri is an independent researcher and writer and a political prisoner recently released from house arrest in Rome, Italy. He has been a lecturer in political science at the University of Paris and professor of political science at the University of Padua.

Review :
"This timely book brings together myriad loose strands of far left thinking with clarity, measured reasoning and humor." —Publishers Weekly, starred"Impressive… a rare and exciting work of synthesis." —Booklist, starred review "Brilliant." —The Village Voice "An inspiring marriage of realism and idealism." —Naomi Klein, author of No Logo