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

[Philip Pilkington]

>
> To put it another way, it may turn out that some societies, even free
> of capitalism, move very fast (both technically and socially) while
> others remain comparatively slow.  I object to preemptive
> condemnations of future arrangements
>

I really doubt it. For good or for bad I don't think any non-capitalist
society could push technological innovation as fast as a capitalist
society.It simply wouldn't be convenient. With the "law of competition" dead
why would people innovate as quickly? It would be completely superfluous.
This is not to say that people would stop developing society, as such. But I
think that the difference here would be (hopefully) to develop "outwards"
rather than "upwards"; to develop "depth" rather than "appearance".

What I mean is: don't conflate scientific progress with economic development
(which a few people have done already). Its the connections between the two
that's important.