make-work (was Re: pre-Keynesian)

Forstater, Mathew ForstaterM at umkc.edu
Sun Sep 2 18:15:45 PDT 2001


Kelley's post (and the posts to which it replies) reinforces my feeling that we are all--even critics of the status quo--much more programmed than we realize and that social transformation will require 'personal' transformation of some types. take the make-work topic for example. even harsh critics of capitalism fall into the trap of idealizing market activity and the idea of market acitivity as privileged or 'valuable.' what i mean is, we call government jobs 'make-work' without a mention of how many market jobs are make-work (or worse!). and kelley is right to mention all the 'other stuff' that happens n work situations--the interactions with others that, however mundane or whatever--do give meaning to our lives. i can't see how we can possibly imagine a post-capitalist society without addressing how messed up we are from years and generations of alienation, etc. one may argue that under a socialist society, human beings will be in a world conducive to de-alienation, but talk about 'transitions' that will have to be made--we have to really confront the difficulties of making those kind of adjustnments. imean, could you imagine if 'we' were suddenly in charge, starting tomorrow morning. not an easy move.


>i don't think any of us are old dogs afraid of freedom. it's much too
>complicated for that.



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