Re: Participatory Planning

[Jim Devine <JNDF%LMUACAD.BITNET@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

two points on Allin's last posting:

the first one is a general point that is often forgotten. Capitalism --
or at least competitive capitalism -- is very good at innovation. But
innovation isn't always a good thing.  E.g., nuclear power plants or
new pesticides.  Perhaps people disagree about these examples, but
from almost any political point of view, there are examples where
the new is not the same as the good.  And innovation simply means
new products and processes.

Specific to Allin's comments: Karl Marx  had  a  strong critique of
the idea of "labor tokens" (as proposed by Proudhon, I believe).
For Marx, the value created  by labor could not be determined
ex ante, since it depends on such things as the demand for the
product of labor.  I won't extend my summary.  I'm simply asking:
have  you taken Marx's critique  into account?

sincerely,

Jim Devine   BITNET: jndf@lmuacad    INTERNET: jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ., Los Angeles, CA 90045-2699 USA
310/338-2948 (off); 310/202-6546 (hm); FAX: 310/338-1950