This text identifies a radical shift in concepts that form the
philosophical basis of modern politics, concepts such as sovereignty, nation
and people - and links this philosophical transformation to cultural and
economic changes in postmodern society.Imperialism as we knew it may be no more, but empire is alive and well. It
is, as the authors demonstrate in this work the new political order of
globalization. It is easy to recognise the contemporary economic, cultural, and
legal transformations taking place across the globe but difficult to understand
them. Hardt and Negri contend that they should be seen in line with our
historical understanding of empire as a universal order that accepts no
boundaries or limits. Their book shows how this emerging empire is
fundamentally different from the imperialism of European dominance and
capitalist expansion in previous eras. Rather, today's empire draws on elements
of US constitutionalism, with its tradition of hybrid identities and expanding
frontiers.; This book identifies a radical shift in concepts that form the
philosophical basis of modern politics, concepts such as sovereignty, nation,
and people. Hardt and Negri link this philosophical transformation to cultural
and economic changes in post-modern society - to new forms of racism, new
conceptions of identity and difference, new networks of communications and
control, and new paths of migration. They also show how the power of
transnational corporations and the increasing predominance of post-industrial
forms of labour and production help to define the new imperial global
order.; More than analysis, "Empire" is also an utopian work of political
philosophy, a new Communist Manifesto. Looking beyond the regimes of
exploitation and control that characterise today's world order, it seeks an
alternative political paradigm - the basis for a truly democratic global
society.
