Louis and Paul, please

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Now that the "communication problems" between Louis and Paul have been
ironed out, illuminating some very interesting things on the way, I
would like to place on record a request that both of them debate further
the question of computers and socialism.

Louis's lucid post on this in November last year was the first
contribution I read on the marxism list and it formed a very favourable
impression on me. Paul has published a paper arguing the technical limits
can now be achieved that would allow coordinated planning of an
entire economy by computer, as I understand it, just one.

Both of you have technical expertise and knowledge in this vital
area.

I suspect that if you got into the debate further it would come
down to

a) the fine detail of how banks of microprocessors are linked together
not necessarily all on one site

b) the likely politics of how this would come about if at all -
evolution, or revolution.

At the technical level this is one of the defining limiting questions for
socialism in the 21st century.

I am sure, when you have time, neither of you will disappoint us.

Regards,

Chris B, London




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