The Mechanic and the Luddite: A Ruthless Criticism of Technology and Capitalism

This short book demystifies how the two systems of technology and capitalism work together and equips readers with practical tools to dismantle them and build a better world, bit by bit.   Our society is constantly made to serve the needs of two systems: technology and capitalism. Neither exists outside humans, but both are treated as above and beyond us. The Mechanic and the Luddite offers the critical tools needed to deconstruct these systems—how they work, whom they work for, and what work they do in our lives. With signature style and energy, Jathan Sadowski presents a provocative one-stop shop for understanding the political economy of technology and capitalism. Each chapter breaks down key features of technological capitalism, offering sharp, synthetic, and authoritative analysis of topics like innovation, labor, data, and risk. It's not enough to know how the machinery of capitalism is put together and how its parts operate; we must also know whom the machines serve and when they should be taken apart, to be rebuilt for new purposes or destroyed for good. The Mechanic and the Luddite provides the political guidance needed to make these crucial decisions.

Table of Contents:
Contents Acknowledgments  1. Two Systems  2. Two Models  3. Innovation  4. Data  5. Labor  6. Landlords  7. Risk  8. Futures  Notes  Bibliography Index 

About the Author :
Jathan Sadowski is Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University. He is author of the book Too Smart and host of the podcast This Machine Kills, both on the political economy of technology.

Review :
"Short, accessible and easy to dip in and out of. . . . The title of the book is essentially a call for both good theory and good practice: understand how technology works, but also how it relates to capitalism and when to oppose it. The contents set out an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to do this, even if all you want to get out of it is solid arguments about relatively straightforward points of debate. . . . This is emphatically a book about looking forward so we can present our alternatives to what capitalism has to offer." "Succinctly encapsulates a decade of social tech research in clear, if academic, prose. . . . Sadowski gives a basic introduction to how Marxists understand capitalist exploitation to ground his later discussions. He then uses those well-worn tools skilfully." "Lays the groundwork for a more cohesive resistance against capitalist technology. . . . ​Sadowski casts a withering gaze on the digital technology industry and its oligarchs, encouraging the reader to engage in rigorous material analysis by embodying two figures: the Mechanic and the Luddite."