Real Utopia-A Discussion in NYC: Q and A (2/4)

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A discussion based on the material from a recently published book:
Real Utopia: Participatory Society for the 21st Century
Edited by Chris Spannos
Available from AK Press
http://www.akpress.org

Recorded at the Blue Stockings Bookstore
On March 15th, 2008
Hosted by Z Communications
http://www.zcommunications.org

Speakers:

Michael Albert
Lydia Sargent
Jessica Azulay
Brian Dominick
Chris Spannos

Recording:
Charngchi Way aka Chomskyan
Dave Buccola aka Buddhagem

Editing:
Charngchi Way

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Real
• Utopia
• participatory
• society
• economy
• Communications
• AK
• Press
• Chris
• Spannos
• Michael
• Albert
• balanced
• job
• complexes

[JohnNoZ35]

I like Michael Albert, but almost anyone can clean bed pans. Only a relatively few people can be good brain surgeons. Ignoring supply and demand will not help you build a society or economy.

[Chomskyan]

1st, he didn't go into details here but in Parecon he does address supply and demand: rather than having markets determine what's in demand and what needs to be produced, participatory planning is used instead, with worker counsels and consumer counsels working out the exchanges.

2nd, in a more equitable society more people can realize their potential to be good brain surgeons, but the point is whether they should be rewarded more for having more talent. He gave arguments for why we shouldn't.

[MononofuBlood]

Thanks for uploading, Chomskyan! I'm still not completely convinced by ParEcon, but perhaps that will change when I start reading a little more about it.

[hoser4]

It is true that only a relatively few people can be good brain surgeons. Fortunately, those who apply and can't make it will realize quickly in their training that they weren't cut out for it -- exactly the same situation we have today. Choice of economy does not influence this outcome. Where ParEcon differs from staunch Stalinism is that, being a libertarian form of socialism, you're free to adjust your training/career as performance feedback comes in.