[lbo-talk] IT innovation and "the Markets"

[Fernando Cassia]

On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 8:25 PM, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
>
> On Mar 3, 2009, at 5:14 PM, Somebody Somebody wrote:
>
>> When precisely did Marxism become so fanatically opposed to technological
>> progress? We're a long way from Lenin's conception of soviet power plus
>> electrification.
>>
>> My sense is that this shift towards technophobia is basically a
>> rationalization of failure, the result of making a vice into a virtue.
>> Really existing socialism proved to be less productive and inventive than
>> leading capitalist economies on the whole - so there comes a point when
>> instead of trying to compete Khrushchev style with the West, you just throw
>> up your hands and claim that it was never your intention to continue the
>> development of the productive forces after all.
>
> Well, socialism shouldn't aspire to be directly competitive with capitalism,
> should it? Technical innovation is hardly class neutral.

Explain?


> But I'm with you on
> this opposition to technological progress of any kind. Its appeal is limited
> to a very small section of the population.

I don't think somebody-somebody opposed technological progress.
Or perhaps I'm misinterpreting your response.

Tech advances do not have "limited appeal". This reminds me of TJ
Watson's "there's a world market for about five computers"  quote.

FC

FC