After listening to you on Doug's show I spent some time reviewing the extensive information available on the Parecon website (I haven't read the book yet).
While many technical aspects of Parecon are described in detail I found myself a bit confused when the subject of transition - from where we are now to where Parecon ideas might take us - was discussed.
The present system has the force of generations of indoctrination, apparently limitless (from the point of view of an individual) wealth, military power and the claim - often believed - that alternatives are either pipe dreams or disastrous experiments.
Given the 'resilience of capital', demonstrated time and again through many crises, I have a difficult time imagining a change that doesn't involve civilizational exhaustion, messy revolution, an asteroid - in short, something quite serious, large and irresistable.
A gradual change from what we have now to the more democratic vision of Parecon seems, given the aforementioned entrenchment as well as the considerable propaganda counter-offensive elites would put up, unlikely to put it mildly.
But I'm willing to be convinced that I'm missing something.
DRM
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com