You will get a more balanced view of one of the types of new technology you discuss, namely numerically controlled machines, if you take a look at works by Harry Braverman, Harley Shaiken, and David Noble. New technology is always embedded in a set of class relationships, and it is really not proper to talk about increases in productivity without considering these relationships.
Michael Yates
jan carowan wrote:
>
> Mr Forstater,
>
> Why rant against the new economy if your ideal is Kropotkin's
> decentralisation? Is it not the new technology that is now effecting the
> greatest decentralisation of information in human history? Only now could
> have a "radical" such as Mr Henwood reached such a mass audience. Hasn't his
> fame here even earned him free advertising spots on television to raise
> questions about how newly new the new economy is? And who is a idealistic
> Russian price compared to a technology that brings us information at
> enormous speed and almost infinite scale?
>
> By the way, I note that Mr Wray, Mr Henwood and you seem not interested in
> the question of whether the productivity measures or consumer price index is
> biased against the high technology revolution.
>
> Do leftist business observers feel more comfortable with dismal scientists?
>
> Today's Wall Street Journal (which I suppose leftist business observers
> read) reports on the well known revolutionary impact of programmable machine
> tools, while also noting that the consumer price index does not take account
> of machines whose duty and durability have been extended and thus require
> fewer repairs and less service Indeed fewer visits to the service station
> means less GDP to those who take these measures seriously.
>
> To the outside observer, it is a great paradox indeed that leftist business
> observers pooh-pooh the revolutionary impact of the radical new innovations
> of the third industrial revolution while exploring every new possibility
> they open up for self promotion.
>
> What exactly is the source of this animus against technology that makes you
> all rant so and call up the memories of simple minded political utopians of
> the past?
>
> JC
>
> >From: "Forstater, Mathew" <ForstaterM at umkc.edu>
> >Reply-To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> >To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> >Subject: RE: small not beautiful
> >Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 23:23:43 -0500
>
> >I guess the 'small is beautiful' part is not meant as a comment on
> >Schumacher,
> >but just reflects the journalistic preference for catchy phrases? Mat
> >From: Doug Henwood [mailto:dhenwood at panix.com]
> >SMALL IS NOT BEAUTIFUL
>
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