Utopianism of the Will

Foster examines the historical tension between utopian and anarchist approaches to social transformation, beginning with Anthony Vidler's 1975 question about how to “refuse the present” while acting within it. Through analysis of competing theoretical frameworks—particularly Manfredo Tafuri's critique of the avant-garde and the dialectic between “Chance” and “Form”—Foster reconsiders the relationship between anarchist and socialist approaches to radical change. He reframes Tafuri's dialectic as an antinomy between Psychopathology and Utopia, exemplified by the contrasting legacies of Dada and Constructivism. While acknowledging the historical failures of utopian projects, Foster argues for a contemporary synthesis of anarchist and socialist elements to address climate crisis. He suggests that environmental collapse demands both the mutual aid practices of anarchism and the strong state intervention of socialism. Drawing on thinkers from Rosa Luxemburg to Andreas Malm and contemporary examples from Occupy to COVID-19 responses, Foster advocates for what he terms “socialist Constructivism” to implement necessary environmental measures. The article concludes by proposing that climate refugees be seen as vanguards of new social forms and endorsing Fredric Jameson's reformulation of Gramsci's famous motto as “cynicism of the intellect, utopianism of the will.”