Karl Marx and the Blockchain
Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society
ISBN: 978-1-80043-907-8, eISBN: 978-1-80043-906-1
Publication date: 8 July 2021
Abstract
Blockchain is often presented as a technological development; however, clearly it is not only that: the ‘Blockchain buzz’ exists in the context of current social and political developments. In this essay, we analyse blockchain technology and its social and political context from a perspective of Marxist economic theory. Since arguably the last great inflection point in society and technology was analysed by Marx in terms of labour and capital and since we seem to be experiencing a shift in the balance between these forces today, it makes sense to revisit the Marxist ideas and apply them to the current situation, to see how well they still apply and if necessary to update them for current events.
Keywords
Citation
Basu, D. and Gabbay, M. (2021), "Karl Marx and the Blockchain", Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 225-241. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211016
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021 by Emerald Publishing Limited