Re: Sweden

["Ian Murray" <seamus2001@xxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Perelman"
<michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 4:19 PM
>Subject: [PEN-L:21440] Sweden


Roman mentioned absolute vs. relative surplus
value.  That is indeed the
key to discussing Social Democracy.  If the
capitalists need to rely on
brute labor to produce their commodities -- where
workers have no
discretion -- then Social Democracy will not have
much of a payoff.  In
this sense, Rakesh is definitely correct.

If however industry relies on workers' skills and
discretion, then SD
will work better.

Doug sent a URL for Krueger and Mas's article on
Bridgestone-Firestone
showing that the harsh treatment of the workers
may have been
responsible for the defective tires.  That story
is relevant here.

Rakesh says that SD will not work in the long run.
Nobody here said
that it would.  It resolves some contradictions,
which, as is the case
in capitalism, create others in its train.
Neither SD nor
Pinochet/Reagan capitalism is a final answer.

================

How can anybody know what will work in the long
run given planetary dynamics. In this sense, the
idea of a final social-ecological-technological
system seems a complete anathema, no?



This brings us back to the discussion that set off
the thread on
crises.  Capitalism has proven resilient and has
withstood a number of
shocks over the centuries.  Marx wanted
revolutionaries to act as
midwives, but the gestation period has been longer
than he predicted.
Our challenge, then, is more difficult than he
expected.

Finally, I am learning from the discussion.
Thanks to all concerned.

=============

I'm puzzled by the midwife metaphor as it seems to
assume that what needs to be brought about is
somehow already existing within what already
exists; whereas I can't help but see "it" as an
ongoing work of creativity. If we accept
indeterminacy and uncertainty in human history
then what of Joan Robinson's quip of "there is no
long run equilibrium path" as regards the above
triad I mentioned.

Ian
--