Re: The Vulnerable Planet (was Re: suburbia)

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

Mark says:

> Yoshie Furuhashi:
>  > It's impossible to modernize industry & agriculture globally _under
> >  capitalism_, but _under socialism_ it is possible.
>
> How? Slogans don't cut it.

First of all, doing away with capitalist relations of production
allows you to cut such capitalist discipline (= unproductive labor of
surveillance) as compelling workers to use short-handled hoes so that
foremen can monitor who is slacking off (Michael Perelman's example).
Secondly, the absence of fear of unemployment can allow workers to
contribute freely to knowledge necessary for production &
implementation of labor-saving methods & technology.  Thirdly,
socialism can bring the demographic transition to completion (= low
birth & death rates).  Kerala is a good example of how much decline
in the fertility rate can be accomplished by empowerment of women
_even_ under capitalism -- surely socialism can do this better.
Fourthly, socialism allows for as much socialization of reproduction
as possible, thus freeing women for creative work.  Fifthly, such
unproductive labor as policing the Empire will be done away with
under socialism.  Sixthly, the abolition of intellectual properties
under socialism allows free intellectual intercourse & general
application of any scientific knowledge found to be useful.  Examples
of what can be done under socialism are endless.

>  >The USA is inefficient.
>
> That's not what Doug Henwood thinks, is it? Or is the productivity miracle a
> myth just like the New Economy turned out to be?

The USA is pretty efficient by capitalist standards, but it is
inefficient by socialist standards.

Yoshie