Re: State capitalism?

[malecki@xxxxxxxxxx (Robert Malecki)]

>I think this whole question of "state capitalism" is worth discussing in
>some depth since it gets into some very basic questions of the
>relationship between social classes and the state. And you can't get much
>more basic than that.
>
>One challenge I'd put to the "state capitalists" on this list is to
>evaluate some countries that were not part of the Soviet bloc. How would
>their theory hold up against countries like Algeria or Egypt in the late
>1950s? The FLN of Algeria claimed that it was building socialism. There
>was state ownership of the commanding heights of the economy in both
>Algeria and Egypt. Would Walter Daum, Jorn and Adam claim that Cuba and
>Algeria were substantially identical? Are Castro and Ben Bella the same?
>
>I just took some interesting books out of the Columbia library that
>examine these "socialist" experiments from a Marxist perspective. The one
>on Algeria is called "State and Revolution in Algeria" by Rachid Tlemcani.
>The one on Egypt is called "Power, Class and Foreign Capital in Egypt: The
>rise of the New Bourgeosie". I would argue that the term "state
>capitalism" does indeed apply to these nations. But to apply the term to
>the USSR, Cuba is completely un-Marxist.
>
>By the way, I hope Adam and Jorn find the time to reply to Vladimir
>Bilenkin as Walter Daum did. Adam had been pressing for the longest time
>to have a serious discussion of "state capitalism". Some of us are ready
>to have that discussion right now. Time's a wasting.
>
>
>Louis Proyect

I think i agree with Louis here. However, somebody who knows this stuff a
little better should tell me where the capital comes from in Algeria and
Egypt. Although the state sector seems to play a big role in these states.

So does the state and the lobbies play a big role in certain sectors of the
ecomomies in the United States and Europe.

And then there are the so called welfare states. Sweden for example. Where
the state has played a key role in certain sectors where finance capital
could not finance the investments and operations and the Social democrats
went in with tax money. However this was just a overgoing phase because the
whole system is today being sold out to private interests.

I wonder how it works in say Algeria or Egypt.

Anthow "state capitalism" unfortunately for me means the Cliffites who tried
to find a comfortable place above the historic class struggle going on
between the deformed and degenerated workers states and Imperialist and
capitalist states.

So perhaps another name foe these models that Louis takes up would be
appropriate...

Warm Rgards
malecki in exile...




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