Kornai and Hayek

JKSCHW at aol.com JKSCHW at aol.com
Thu Dec 3 20:56:01 PST 1998


In a message dated 98-12-03 17:11:14 EST, you write:

<< However, what is appealing in the

concept of market socialism-and this point we do not refrain from taking sides- is

its evident openendedness, which may allow it to move along flexibly enough with

pragmatically validated exigencies" Brus&Laski,MTM,p151-2.

A tepid commitment, but a commitment nonetheless.

I'd missed that passage. As I recall it was easy to miss. Thanks.

I agree with B&L that the

feasibility of socialism is an empirical question.The appropriate form of

socialist economy will be worked out through practice. Alternatives to capitalism

will be born through the ant-capitalist class struggle-a unity of opposites. If

you assume socialism won't work, it won't. A self-fulfilling prophecy.

Absolutely.

I I am not an MS

but appreciate the strength of the Austrian critique.Schweikart's work woke me

from trotskyist slumber. His book is a goldmine of arguments and information and

contains a lot of original,clear thinking. I I'll tell him you said so. He'll be glad to hear it.

Have read your(JS') work in Nous,

Phil.of Sci.,Econ.&Phil., and Phil. and Public Affairs. Brilliant work.

Thanks. Glad you liked it. Too bad the philosophers didn't., which is why I'm a lawyer now. If you want to see my latest in print. on justice, it's 17 Legal Studies 128 (1997). Legal Studies is Brit law journal available at any good law school library.

--jks



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