The mistaken premise behind this argument is that the USSR got rid of
the commodity. I don't even think Soviet economists would make that
argument. robert wood
>
> No, the Soviet Union is a perfect test of this sort of thing. If you
> believe abolishing commodity exchange will abolish self-seeking as a
> human motivation in economic life, then that's what should have happened
> in the SU, even if the system contained all kinds of other flaws.
>
> The usual argument goes: "Economic life will always be marked by
> selfishness as long as there is commodity exchange." It sounds like
> you're now amending that argument to read: "Economic life will always be
> marked by selfishness as long as there is commodity exchange or
> 'bureaucratic' planning or 'crappy data' or 'unreasonable hopes.'" I'm
> sure the list could be lengthened ad infinitum. All societies have
> flaws, no? Where does that leave Charles Brown's plea?:
>
>> Couldn't there be competition but not
>> motivated by getting money ? Amateur
>> sports have competition
>> without money rewards to the winner.
>> It is conceivable that a whole
>> new system of motivation for
>> innovation could be developed.
>
> SA
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