> When I hear people say this I have ask, what are you in favor of
> then? Gosplan? Gosplan plus fiber optics?
> Doug
When I 'hear' (actually read in this instance) people 'say' (actually write in this instance) above, I ask whether they think that conscious planning of publicly owned and socially controlled means of production will improve upon capitalism's clumsy and costly privatized way of governing and correcting balance of production between main and subsidiary sectors of economy. I also ask whether they think that decommodification of labor-power holds key to transcending market and assuring social access to means of life.
Anti-planners and market supporters (even begrudging ones) must answer for the return of and price paid for large-scale unemployment in Yugoslavia's market socialism. And is there anybody who still wants to (with David Schweickart) sing praises for China's marketization in light of mass layoffs, rural depopulation and rising discontent (strikes and food riots).
Planning isn't panacea, not even via worker control and worker democracy. But it seems only humane way to deal with matters that market can neither address nor even adequately recognize. And planning doesn't have to preclude using markets and market techniques although 'the market' should not be principle governing factor. Critical matter is how to move away from *market regulation* of economic relations.
Long Live Absence of Memory! All Hail to Archives! Slouching towards permanent e-list recycling mode, Michael Hoover