Most
would say that the USSR was not Communist, aiming toward it perhaps but a brand
of socialism.
arthur
My own take on it is
that it was state capitalist. The state owned all of the capital, made all
of the important decisions etc. It kept most people happy, up to a
point, just like large corporations keep their employees happy. I
think it would have continued in that direction had it
survived.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 3:28
PM
I don't know how best to characterize it.
Russia was a basket case after the revolution (even before). What
it tried to do under Stalin and even subsequently was to industrialize very
rapidly, which meant, via the state planning system, a very heavy
emphasis on producers goods, especially those needed for heavy
industry, and little emphasis on consumers goods. Because of
both paranoia and legitimate fears, there were huge expenditures on the
military, meaning even less for the ordinary householder. By about the
1980s, the system was simply not able to meet all of the demands it had
placed on itself, and ordinary Russians had become tired of being asked to
wait just a little longer for the workers' paradise to arrive. It then
began to collapse of its own weight.
Via the planning system, the state decided both
production and distribution, and I find it very difficult to distinguish
between the two in the case of the USSR.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2003 11:11
AM
> Yes but
wasn't it supposed to be distribution that did in the Communists?
>
I'm just a poor artist but I do remember that discussion from you
economists
> talking about our superior distribution. I'm
confused. Educate me
> please.
>
>
REH
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
"Harry Pollard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Cc:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2003 2:00 AM
>
Subject: RE: [Futurework] http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de/
>
>
> > Arthur,
> >
> >
Wouldn't you know it?
> >
> > You almost repeated - word
for word - what Henry George said in
> > 1878.
> >
>
> Great minds think alike!
> >
> > It's the reason why
Classical Political Economy is described as
> > "The Science that
deals with the Nature, the Production, and the
> > Distribution of
Wealth.
> >
> > That "Distribution" bit is the essence of
Political Economy.
> > Would that modern economists would start
thinking about why the
> > distribution is so unfair, instead of
devising ways to patch the
> > system by taking from the rich and
giving to the poor.
> >
> > Harry
> >
>
> ********************************************
> > Henry George
School of Social Science
> > of Los Angeles
> > Box
655 Tujunga CA 91042
> > Tel: 818 352-4141
-- Fax: 818 353-2242
> > http://haledward.home.comcast.net
> > ********************************************
>
>
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 10,
2003 5:26 PM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED];
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: RE: [Futurework] http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de/
> >
> > We have "solved" the production problem
but can't seem to deal
> > with the issue of distribution.
>
>
> > Arthur
> >
> > -----Original
Message-----
> > From: Harry Pollard
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Wednesday,
December 10, 2003 5:15 PM
> > To: 'Brad McCormick, Ed.D.'; 'Ed
Weick'
> > Cc: 'futurework'
> > Subject: RE: [Futurework]
http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de/
> >
> >
> > Brad,
> >
>
> We are discussing these problems in a society where the power
to
> > produce has reached unbelievable proportions (After many
have
> > been thrown out of work, the industries they left behind
are
> > actually producing more. Productivity hasn't fallen even
though
> > there are far fewer workers employed.)
>
>
> > Why these "problems"?
> >
> >
Harry
> >
> >
> > ---
> > Outgoing mail
is certified Virus Free.
> > Checked by AVG anti-virus system
(http://www.grisoft.com).
> > Version: 6.0.548 / Virus Database: 341 -
Release Date: 12/5/2003
> >
> >
> >
_______________________________________________
> > Futurework
mailing list
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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>
>
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