Democratic Alternatives

'Brum has made an original and sophisticated contribution to contemporary debates on democratic alternatives to capitalism. It combines political economy, institutional analysis, and cultural critique with unusual clarity and ambition.' — Costas Lapavitsas , University of London Democratic Alternatives investigates the intersection of social democracy, market socialism, and the radical critique of the Situationist International. While the Situationists rejected reformism outright, their analysis of alienation, commodification, and the spectacle provides a powerful lens for evaluating institutional reforms in contemporary capitalism. This book argues that policies such as universal basic income, reduction of the working day, participatory urbanism, and cooperative management of resources—though not revolutionary in themselves—can open cracks in the dominant logic of capital. Drawing on a novel analytical framework, the book evaluates reforms through Situationist categories such as decommodification, autonomy, spatial reappropriation, and détournement of institutions. Two case studies—Iceland’s working-time reduction experiment and the Mondragón cooperative movement—illustrate both the transformative potential and risks of co-optation. The book positions itself between the intransigent legacy of the Situationists and the practical necessity of reform, arguing for ‘non-reformist reforms’ that create conditions for social experimentation, creativity, and political participation. Written with academic rigor and critical sensitivity, it offers scholars, students, and activists a methodological tool to assess when and how reforms may contribute to a post-spectacular society.