Re: [Pen-l] The Depression: A Long-Term View

[Carl Dassbach <dassbach@xxxxxxx>]

As a student of Wallerstein, I assure you that he has been saying very 
similar things since (at least) the early 80s e.g. Amin, Arrighi, Frank 
and Wallerstein, /Dynamics of the Global  Crisis, /1982./
/
Of course I can disagree with the argument - it lacks, as does most of 
Wallerstein's theoretical "notions," historical specificity.  The 
observation that "the present crisis does not lend itself to the kind of 
transitions that have previously characterized capitalism" is NOT a 
problem.  It is precisely the point!!!!

As JD said below -capitalism is always changing and creating 
previously-unknown situations that's typical if not universal. I'd be 
surprised if the system stayed the same for any length of time.

Schumpeter, I think, was was also quite clear on the historical specificity of eras of capitalism when he wrote that the society that emerges at the end of a long wave is totally
unlike the society that existed at the beginning of the long wave and it is not simply a quantitative matter - "add as many coaches as you want, you will never get a railroad" - but a qualitative matter.

If this is the case, if it is always changing then each mode of 
regulation is unique and historically specific and the resolution to the 
crisis of a mode of regulation has to be unique and  can not correspond 
to "the kinds of transitions that have previously characterized 
capitalism." 

Hence, I reject Wallerstein's argument and the implicit structural 
functionalism of his thinking.





The is the essence of historical specificity.  capitalism is always 
changing, etc
Sandwichman wrote:
> What Wallerstein is arguing is that there are structural features of
> the current version of capitalism that don't lend themselves to the
> kind of transitions that have previously characterized capitalism. You
> can disagree with that argument. But simply pointing to precedent
> doesn't respond to the claim that the current situation is
> unprecedented.
>
> On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 8:53 AM, Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>   
> > it's the end of capitalism as we know it!  But since 
> >
> > On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 8:39 AM, Carl Dassbach <dassbach@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >     
> > > This is a crisis of regulation (ala Aglietta).  A new mode of regulation.
> > > for sustaining the extended reproduction of Capital is one possible
> > > consequence.  Obviously, there are others but I personally doubt we will see
> > > the end of the capitalism (as a political economy).  Wallerstein has been
> > > predicting the "end" for too long to be taken seriously.  If you are always
> > > predicting the "end," sometimes it will appear as though you are correct.
> > > Concentrated and directed pressure towards what????
> > >
> > > Jim Devine wrote:
> > >       
> > > > ken hanly wrote:
> > > >
> > > >         
> > > > >  The new system will be the results of an infinity of individual
> > > > > pressures. What sort of nonsense is that. I do not see any evidence that the
> > > > > present crisis is leading to a new system that is not capitalist. At most it
> > > > > will lead to some changes in existing capitalism involving regulation of
> > > > > financial markets globally if possible and more government involvement as a
> > > > > means of bailing out or hospitalizing ailing parts of the system until they
> > > > > recover and handed back to private profiteers.
> > > > >
> > > > >           
> > > >         
> > > > >  There certainly seems no difference in the US political system.
> > > > > Everything is framed in terms of the two capitalist parties and the same
> > > > > illusions are sold about change and the same bipartisan imperialist foreign
> > > > > policy espoused by both parties.<
> > > > >
> > > > >           
> > > > Right. Instead of an "an infinity of individual pressures," what's
> > > > needed is concentrated collective pressure.
> > > >
> > > >         
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > pen-l mailing list
> > > pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
> > >
> > >       
> >
> > --
> > Jim Devine /  "Nobody told me there'd be days like these / Strange
> > days indeed -- most peculiar, mama." -- JL.
> > _______________________________________________
> > pen-l mailing list
> > pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
> >
> >     
>
>
>
>   

_______________________________________________
pen-l mailing list
pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l