Can the multitude spark a global democratic movement to transform our modern world?
In short: Political philosopher Michael Hardt argues that contemporary forces like globalization and the commodification of services are not just tools of oppression. Instead, he suggests they contain the potential to ignite unprecedented social change, driven by the collective power of the multitude—a new locus for global democratic action.
Michael Hardt, an American philosopher and literary theorist, rose to prominence with his 2000 book Empire, co-authored with Antonio Negri. The work explores how modern life is dominated by class oppression and the production of affects, or immaterial goods like images, code, and ideas. Hardt and Negri argue that these structures, while restrictive, also create the conditions for a global democratic movement. They posit that the multitude—a collective force of individuals—can harness these conditions to pursue a project of large-scale social transformation.
Hardt’s intellectual journey began with an interest in alternative energy during the 1970s energy crisis, though he eventually moved away from engineering toward political philosophy. After earning his PhD in 1990 with a dissertation on Gilles Deleuze, he began a long-term collaboration with Negri, whom he first met in Paris in 1986. Their trilogy, which includes Empire, Multitude, and Commonwealth, outlines a vision where political goals are deeply linked to the joy of political life and a concept of love that extends beyond the traditional couple.
Despite his influence, Hardt remains skeptical of the university as a primary site for political activity. He observes that public education is increasingly under threat, with institutions prioritizing limited military and technological knowledge over the skills required for a biopolitical economy. In his view, the true potential for change lies outside these walls, as seen in the occupation movements of 2011–2012, which he and Negri analyzed as experiments in new democratic forms. For Hardt, the challenge remains to recognize immaterial production as the key to innovation and to foster a politics that is both militant and joyful.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Michael Hardt
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