Marxism and the Coercive Forces of Capital: Today’s Implications and Critical Perspectives

“[The state] power rises out of society, placing itself above it, and alienating itself more and more from it.”

–Frederick Engels

One of the central topics that has garnered sustained attention among Marxist theorists is the concept of ‘coercive force’ as embedded within the structures of the state. From the foundational analyses of Marx and Engels to the critical elaborations offered by Gramsci, Althusser, Marcuse, and others, the role of coercion is integral to the maintenance and reproduction of class domination. In the present conjuncture—characterized by the intensification of capitalist and imperialist dynamics—the question that arises is how coercive mechanisms have become further enmeshed within the institutional and ideological apparatuses of the state. As the normative discourse of Western liberal democracy increasingly gives way to authoritarian and proto-totalitarian forms of governance, it becomes imperative to interrogate how Marxist theory and praxis might respond to this shifting terrain. What strategies must be developed to confront and resist the coercive operations of state power, and how should the responsibilities and tasks of progressive and emancipatory movements be theorized in the face of this historical configuration of domination?

The Locomotive is looking for articles, creative essays, photography, poetry, digital illustrations, paintings, and digital humanities for this edition on the following topics, but not limited to:

Labor and technology

Colonialism and labor 

Social and economic coercion  

Women and labor

Power determinism and environment 

Right-wing populist economic austerity 

Algorithmic capitalism 

Labor and immigration

Pedagogy and educational funding 

Film and media industry 

Labor and queerness 

Literature and censorship

Content:

• Provide a proper critique or analysis of a recent or current event.

• Submit original articles that have not been previously published online.

Length:

• Articles and creative essays should be 2,000 words or less. We encourage non-academic or semi-academic papers.

• For photojournals, max 2 images, including a 500-word background analysis for the photos.

• For painting, installation art, and cartoons, one high-quality picture of the artwork, followed by a 500-word critique and analysis of the background of the work.

• Translations should be 2,000 words or less.

• Poems should be 1000 words or less.

• Interviews should be 2,500 or less.

References:

Include references or hyperlinks where necessary to support your arguments.

Submission deadline: July 31, 2025

For any questions, please email us at locomotivemagazine@gmail.com