Forwarded message: Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 10:27:09 -0800 (PST) To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric Sommer) Subject: Socialist Planning Listserve Hi there, I am a long-time participant in PSN and a cofounder of the Stewards Movement of poor people and a coordinator of the Chiapas ALert network. Could you please forward the following message to the Progressive economics listserve. Thanks, Eric ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Please forward this message to all relevant listserves, organizations, and individuals. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Hi there, With the arrival of the current world crisis (economic crisis, year200bug crisis, ecological crisis), the issue of how to convert a capitalist economy to a socialist economy or a social economy or a democratic economy or, as I call it, a `Stewards economy', may again be on the historic agenda. I am canvassing opinion on whether people are interested in participating in a `socialist planning network (SPN)' which would initially consist of a listserve, and accompanying shared electronic workspace. These facilities would be devoted to dialogue, exploration, and possible joint projects regarding historical and contemporary theory and practice related to socialist planning on the basis of socially owned and managed property in the means of production. The essential thrust of this listserve, and of related facilities, would not simply be academic discussion but active preparation for the possibility of socialist transition. If you would like to participate in this process, which would initially involve enrollment in a listserve, please let me know by email. if a minimum critical mass of people, say 20 or so, show interest, I will initiate the listserve and include you if you have sent me email to that effect. Dialogue and exploration through the listserve might include but would not necessarily be limited to such topics as: * The sharing of pertinent bibliographic references on socialist planning. To wet your appetite, you might initially look at `Towards a New Socialism' by W. Paul Cockshott and Allin Cottrell. The introduction to this book is on-line and you can download the whole work in Adobe Postscript format from: www.ecn.wfu.edu/~cottrell/socialism_book/ A shorter related work which also contains many of their ideas can be read in on-line in its entirety at: http://www.gn.apc.org/Reality/econ/mfs.htm * Planning experiences in the former socialist block(s). We need to learn from both the positive and negative lessons of this `vast historical experiment'. The economic successes of the first soviet five year plans; the positive aspects of socialist block planning and management approaches; the relative absence of democratic participation in the planning and management of the socialist block economies; the role of `imperialist encirclement' and of participation in the arms race in `distorting' socialist block economic development and planning; the relative absence of ecological criteria from socialist block planning and the consequent widespread ecological destruction; and the general economic difficulties encountered in the socialist block economies in recent decades, would all be on the agenda. * The problems of appropriation and transition from capitalim to socialist property and planning in an actual, `messy', `real-world' revolutionary or quasi-revolutionary setting. These problems are illustrated by the experience of the soviet people in 1917-1921 in which, amidst war and civil war, huge numbers of ordinary workers and peasants participated in the appropriation and initial planning processes regarding the factories, mills, mines, and fields in the Soviet revolution. Just one example of what can be learned here is the little-known but essential role of `workers control' in safeguarding production facilities such as factories, mines, and so forth from sabotage by capitalists and capitalist managers in the chaotic transition period immediately after the revolution. * The role of democracy in planning - i.e., What is the nature of democratic planning? How is this achieved on local, regional, and national scales? * The new prospects for democratic planning opened by use of contemporary technological means such as computer networks, automated electronic data interchange (edi), databases, groupware such as Lotus Notes, and similar facilities to facilitate `real-time socialist planning' and coordination would also definitely have a place in these discussions. * Discussions of the planning and related management procedures of contemporary business practice, such as `Hoshin planning', as these may be creatively applied in democratic socialist planning, would also be encouraged. * Relatively smaller scale planning and management in cooperatives or intentional community settings might well also be of interest. * Rehashing the `socialist calculation debate' and similar material ala Hayek would definitely be discouraged, as these subjects have been `done to death', and are often the focus of anti-socialist ideologues and academics with little knowledge or interest in the actual planning and management of socialist economies. If you would like to participate, please let me know. Cordially, Eric Sommer -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
