Miike Quenling Ellis wrote: i've given it at least a moderate examination and have come up with some concerns that might be important regardless of anyones familiarity with parecon.
most important is would there be enough work? and i'm not sure this question can even be answered adequately at this point. Much of the parecon writing i've read presented by Mr. Albert that contrasts parecon with capitalism goes into minute detail about how parecon would elminate most of the waste and inneficiency....unneccesary jobs etc. of capitalism. going through the list i couldn't help noting that that is alot of work being eliminated.....by my guestimation about 30 to maybe even 40% of capitalist jobs. It seems to me that this would be perhaps the biggest concern but it hasn't been addressed with at least a moderate examination (unless i missed something, which is possible)....given it appears parecon workers would be working less hours and higher pay maybe but would that compensate for the amount of unneccesary work that is eliminated? this also came up with my capitalist job...i do photo processing and couldn't help note that the company is losing money by cutting the negatives...(it's very time consuming labor wise and the customer really gets nothing). now would i reccomend to the 'coordinator class' that this would be a very good way to cut labor costs when i might be the first person eliminated?....uh probably not. ******************************************************
If labour would remain a commodity (i.e. if the wages system was still in operation) and if the workers were competing with each other for employers to *buy* them, then inefficiency would be built in to the system, just like it is under the rule of the employing class now.
On the other hand, if the productive apparatus was socially owned and democratically managed, then no threat to the livlihood of anyone would be perceived by reducing the amount of labour time it took to do any socially necessary task. The time savings or increased wealth would accrue to the individuals in society as a whole.
Regards, Mike B)
===== ***************************************************************** "--why do you slack your fighting-fury now? It's hard for me, strong as I am, single-handed to breach the wall and cut a path to the ships--come, shoulder-to-shoulder! The more we've got, the better the work will go!"
One of Sarpedon's speeches in THE ILIAD--The Trojans storm the rampart http://profiles.yahoo.com/swillsqueal
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