Is Change Possible, was Re: Kalecki's political business cycle]

Carrol Cox cbcox at ilstu.edu
Sat Mar 18 16:16:58 PST 2000


Doug Henwood wrote:


> They do believe that, and I think they're wrong. I think their class
> interest in keeping slack in the labor market outweighs their
> interest in maximizing sales. Individual capitalists may waver in
> this conviction, which is why they pay central bankers to maintain
> the class discipline.

Doug,

This suggests a high degree of class consciousness on the part of capitalists. I tend to agree -- and it is one of the reasons for feeling that however remote the chances of a successful revolution may be they are far less remote than the chances of a gradualist shift of class power???? (Or for any substantive changes in the condition of workers inside capitalism.)

Do you see this as a contradiction in your political thought? If not, why not? If so, how do you resolve it?

I mean -- it seems difficult to go on saying,

1. Capitalism is ruinous.

2. Capitalism is here to stay.

Unless, like me, you operate from a fundamentally pessimistic set of premises.

Carrol



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