Autonomist Marxism

Autonomist Marxism is a school of Marxist thought and branch of the autonomist movement that emphasizes the ability of the working class to force changes in the capitalist system and bring about a post-capitalist society through its autonomous activity. This perspective sees class struggle, rather than objective economic laws, as the primary driving force of history. Key concepts within autonomist Marxism include the refusal of work, class composition, the social factory, and self-valorization.

The approach is distinguished from other forms of Marxism by its focus on working-class self-activity as the foundation for both resisting capital and creating new social relations. It emerged in the mid-20th century through the work of groups in the United States (the Johnson–Forest Tendency), France (Socialisme ou Barbarie), and most notably, Italy (operaismo). Autonomists argue for a "political reading" of Karl Marx's works, particularly Capital, treating it not as a work of economic theory but as a strategic weapon for understanding and advancing the class struggle from the perspective of the working class. The framework also expands the definition of the "working class" beyond the waged industrial proletariat to include unwaged workers—such as housewives, students, and peasants—whose labor is considered essential for the reproduction of capital.

Contemporary autonomist thought can be broadly divided into several tendencies. One, associated with Italian post-operaismo figures like Antonio Negri and Paolo Virno, focuses on the affirmative and constitutive power of the "multitude". A second, represented by the American Midnight Notes Collective, emphasizes the ongoing struggle over the "commons".