Progressive Geographies

There is a very generous review of Lefebvre’s State, Space, World collection by Mark Purcell in the new issue of Social and Cultural Geography (requires subscription). [Update: Mark has posted the whole thing here]

Let me say this plainly: this is an excellent book. There are two main reasons for this excellence. The first is the enduring quality and originality of Lefebvre’s work, and the second is the evident abilities of the editors, Neil Brenner and Stuart Elden. Both are important factors, but let me begin with the editors. A significant element of the editors’ contribution is the translation of the works, for which they were joined by Gerald Moore…

In addition to the excellent translation, the editors’ introduction is extremely substantive, well written, and makes an excellent guide to the theoretical contents of the book. Their scholarship is meticulous; this is clearly not a book that was rushed in any way. It is patiently crafted and is the work of serious scholars who care very deeply about the material they are working with.

Much of the review is, naturally, taken up with Lefebvre’s ideas, notably the notion of autogestion, which he ties, entirely appropriately, to the much better idea of the right to the city.

Very much related to this political agenda is the concept of autogestion. The term is extraordinarily important for Lefebvre, though it has been subjected to relatively little attention in geography scholarship. It forms the basis of his understanding of politics and his hope for the future. It also draws him toward an anarchist position, which is articulated with the Marxist–Leninist position on the state and capitalism, into an exciting and complex political vision. Lefebvre imagines people reappropriating control over the conditions of their own existence so that they create a world in which no one is governed by outside authority, a world in which power is no longer alienated from people to institutions like the state or the corporation, but remains with the people themselves…

Lefebvre is very clear here: he is offering a vision for radical democracy. It is easy to imagine how we can connect that larger political vision with Lefebvre’s writings on cities to imagine urban inhabitants reappropriating control over the production of urban space, a vision which helps us to more fully specify, and understand far more radically, the concept of the right to the city.

Overall then, I would say this book is not only required reading for anyone interested in Lefebvre but also it should be the starting point for those who want to engage his work on the state, politics, Marxism, and autogestion. Especially if it is paired with The Urban Revolution, I think this book is a powerful weapon in the struggle against the neoliberal city, and a source of great strength as we build another world.