Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto

Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto is a 2019 non‑fiction book by Aaron Bastani that proposes a radical re‑imagining of society through the lens of post‑scarcity, post‑capitalist technological progress. The text situates itself at the intersection of Politics , socialism and technology , arguing that advances in automation, artificial intelligence and synthetic biology can eradicate material scarcity and reorganise social relations on egalitarian lines.

First edition

The first edition was published on 11 June 2019 by Verso Books in the United Kingdom. It appears in English and is classified under the genre Non‑fiction . The book’s thematic focus includes:

The publication details are as follows:

Publisher: Verso Books
Publication date: 11 June 2019
Publication place: United Kingdom
Pages: 288
ISBN: 978‑1‑78663‑262‑3
OCLC: 1190904825

Synopsis

Bastani structures the argument around three broad epochs of technological transformation in human history:

Prehistory to the dawn of Agriculture
Agriculture to the Industrial Revolution
The contemporary period, defined by the explosive spread of Information technology

He contends that the prosperity generated by these technological waves is fundamentally incompatible with the logic of Capitalism , which is built upon a paradigm of Scarcity . In Bastani’s view, the emergence of abundant, technology‑mediated resources could dismantle this paradigm, enabling a future characterised by:

Elimination of material scarcity
Drastically reduced working hours
Universal access to luxuries previously reserved for elites

The book situates this vision within the broader tradition of Marxism , seeking to reframe Socialism for the 21st century. Bastani advocates for a radical reorganisation of society grounded in Egalitarianism and sustained Technological change , envisioning a transition from capitalist realism to a post‑capitalist order where technology serves collective liberation rather than profit extraction.

Critical reception

The reception of Fully Automated Luxury Communism has been mixed, reflecting both enthusiasm for its ambitious scope and skepticism about its feasibility.

Andy Beckett of The Guardian described the work as “a short, dizzyingly confident book” that leaves readers either “exhilarated and energised” or “utterly baffled”. While he acknowledged Bastani’s “faith in technology” and “guilt‑free enthusiasm for material goods,” he cautioned that the predictions rest on a “broad‑brush reading of history”【1†L1-L4】.
Ville Kellokumpu in Society & Space argues that the manuscript underestimates the impact of Climate change and the continued dependence of contemporary industry on Fossil fuel , suggesting a potential blind spot in its optimistic prognosis【4†L1-L3】.
Jason Barker contributes a review in the Los Angeles Review of Books , asserting that ecological destruction has historically accompanied technological transitions, and therefore the future may repeat this pattern unless mitigated【5†L1-L3】.
Mark Featherstone , writing for Theory, Culture & Society , praises the book’s “utopian ambition” and its attempt to envision a society beyond Capitalist realism , yet criticises it for lacking “a theory of power, Class struggle , and revolution,” deeming it “light on a theory of social change” and silent on the mechanics of transition【6†L1-L4】.
In openDemocracy , Oli Mould found the text “full of hope,” noting that its “boundless utopianism” is “infectious,” while also warning that embracing such a vision demands “a little leap of faith from the reader”【7†L1-L3】.
Annie Lowrey of The Atlantic considers Bastani’s vision “compelling” and the term “useful,” yet critiques his “topsy‑turvy understanding of recent history and the contemporary economy,” arguing that he fails to credit capitalism’s role in poverty reduction and neglects the significance of race and racism in shaping political dynamics【8†L1-L4】.

The critical discourse surrounding the book frequently invokes citation needed , reflecting ongoing debates about source reliability and scholarly rigour.