Post-Operaist Readings of Marx (from the 1970s)

As early as the beginning of the 1970s, there emerged from operaist a post-operaist reading of Marx that was strongly influenced by French philosophy, and in particular by poststructuralism and the works of Michel Foucault. Due in particular to Foucault's influence, this reading is sometimes described as a power- or biopolitical reading of Marx.

The prefix "post" denotes both the claim to continuing and further developing operaism and the break/rupture with it. Key concepts, aside from biopower and biopolitics, include immaterial labour, Empire, multitude and commons. Important authors associated with post-operaism include Antonio Negri, Paolo Virno, Maurizio Lazzarato, Michael Hardt and Carlo Vercellone. Journals and forums for debate associated with the post-operaist and autonomist readings of Marx include „Uni Nomade“, Multitudes and the English-language journal Aufheben.