From Technological Utopianism to Universal Basic Services

Abstract

Proposals for post-capitalism can be divided into various forms. This chapter focuses on two prominent forms: firstly, technological utopian imaginaries based on technological developments within capitalist societies which are connected and applied to radical social change goals such as creating ‘fully automated luxury communism’ or networks of zero marginal cost products and services; secondly, those proposals which reject ‘techno-fixes’ and conceive alternative socio-economic policies geared to social justice based on eco-socialism or degrowth in material production and consumption. This chapter outlines the strengths of universal basic services (UBS) and argues that UBS schemes are more beneficial and realisable than universal basic income schemes as both a means of advancing the transition to post-capitalist societies and ensuring that any socially just alternative becomes environmentally sustainable.