Advanced capitalism needs two contradictory legitimating discourses at once

Evidence

But Eagleton’s purpose is not just a sottisier. He would also situate the ideology of postmodernism historically. Advanced capitalism, he argues, requires two contradictory systems of justification: a metaphysic of abiding impersonal verities — the discourse of sovereignty and law, contract and obligation — in the political order, and a casuistic of individual preferences for the perpetually shifting fashions and gratifications of consumption in the economic order. Postmodernism gives paradoxical expression to this dualism, since while its dismissal of the centred subject in favour of the erratic swarmings of desire colludes with the amoral hedonism of the market, its denial of any grounded values or objective truths undermines the prevailing legitimations of the state. — Perry Anderson, The Origins of Postmodernity, 275

Categorization

• XREF: Eagleton’s dual-legitimation thesis is a direct rival frame to Jameson’s own account of postmodernism — central to the debate this book scaffolds. — connects to: Capitalism must be judged as both catastrophe and progress simultaneously — Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic…, 154; Capitalist relations must be reproduced ideologically, not just economically — Hall, Stuart, Essential Essays, Volume 1, 628; Global capitalism’s opacity requires continuous depiction of the barbarous to justify itself (+12 more)

Broader Connections

• Capitalism must be judged as both catastrophe and progress simultaneously #exemplifies (0.88) — Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic…, 154
• Global capitalism’s opacity requires continuous depiction of the barbarous to justify itself #exemplifies (0.85)
• Capitalism structurally requires negative liberty and rejects positive liberty #corroborates (0.85) — Wael Hallaq, Restating Orientalism, 299
• Marxist theory requires holding both relative autonomy and economic determinacy at once #expands (0.85) — Hall, Stuart, Essential Essays, Volume 1, 371
• Capitalist relations must be reproduced ideologically, not just economically #expands (0.80) — Hall, Stuart, Essential Essays, Volume 1, 628
• Domination in advanced capitalism is masked as neutral administration and objectivity #exemplifies (0.80) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 186
• Economic structures are necessary but not sufficient to explain political and ideological features #expands (0.78)
• Postmodernism cannot be understood apart from late capitalism’s economic structure #qualifies (0.75) — Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic…, 374
• Modern capitalist societies experience themselves as pluralistic rather than unified #exemplifies (0.75)