Real democracy in a time of Corona-crisis capitalism

This chapter explores the development of contemporary neoliberal democracies during the COVID-19 crisis. It argues that contradictory pressures have combined to increase the tensions facing contemporary democracies, prompting a shift, in different ways, to authoritarian ‘solutions’. Looking at the situation in four countries (Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States), we find a common experience of considerable and growing strain being placed on contemporary democracies, which was already apparent before, but has been accelerated by, the COVID-19 crisis. Contemporary democracy under neoliberal capitalism is being increasingly challenged and destabilised by a cycle of hardship, anger and extra-institutional and grassroots solidarity initiatives, which are met with state-led repression and efforts to enhance and impose the social competition that underpins capitalist social relations. While the authoritarian efforts of the neoliberal state are of growing concern, the opportunities for innovative, emancipatory and disruptive forms of collective action that co-exist alongside these trends continue to provide grounds for hope. Indeed, it is in these new forms of collective action that we see the emergence and growth of the cooperation and solidarity that are necessary both to mitigate the harm and inequality inflicted by neoliberal capitalism and to create the opportunities needed to destabilise and ultimately transcend it.