Addressing social harm: better regulation versus social transformation (Abordar el daño social: ¿mejor regulación o transformación social?)

Abstract

The challenge involved in the transformation of capitalist societies so that social harm is far less prevalent has been a concern implicit in recent scholarly work in the UK. The results of this work have, however, tended towards conventional proposals in favour of better regulation rather than a more fundamental programme of social transformation. This article argues that current approaches to the problem of social harm, along with the way scholars have defined the horizon of their inquiry, have tended to limit the critical purchase of social harm in explaining contemporary problems and articulating coherent solutions. Applying insights from Marxist political philosophy the article highlights the intimate relationship between the production of social harm and capitalist relations of production. The challenge of a social harm perspective is one of transcendence of existing capitalist social relations and state structures, not merely the better regulation of actually existing capitalism.