Notes on exhaustionism, the latest moment of the global organic crisis

This essay seeks to build on the concept of exterminism developed by E. P. Thompson in his 1980 New Left Review ‘Notes exterminism, last state civilization’. Thompson’s polemical focus weapons systems analysis was product a particular moment history; one where most precipitous threat human security Cold War. The exhaustionism this piece describes governance ideologies and frameworks found within advanced capitalist state/societal complexes response present ‘organic crisis’ post-Cold War global capitalism; accelerated 2008 financial crisis Covid-19 pandemic. political leadership contemporary world order has contributed widely held assumptions that collapse civilisation planet is either occurring or imminent. Moreover, it also implied too late for novel fundamental transformation governing ideology, economy reverse current predicament. many ways mirrors absurdity cynicism military technicians nuclear regimes described but with notable differences related host actors involved, temporal horizon, emphasis class, imperialism supremacism.