| Popis: |
The rate of material development of China over the last four decades is arguably unique in human history. With a good half of its economy capitalist, while at the same time the government maintains that its goal is “socialism with Chinese characteristics”, this remarkable economic performance has reignited the debate among socialists as to whether “state capitalism” can be a possible road to transcend capitalism and build socialism. This presentation will not be a discussion of the theoretically very complicated issue of the evaluation of the nature of the process of social transformation going on in China today. Rather, it is intended as a contribution to the social discussion that is necessary, and is occurring, about the relation of “state capitalism” to the project of building a “desirable human-centered post-capitalist society”. To refer to this society by a shorter name, and in line with what many currents of social thought have used for the last 200 years, I will refer to a desirable human-centered post-capitalist society as “socialist”. The purpose of this brief presentation is to pose eight issues that this speaker feels need to be reflected on in discussing this subject of the relation between state capitalism and socialism. In line with the overarching theme of this conference, one partof the presentation will include looking back at Lenin’s thoughts about the issue of state capitalism and socialism at the time of the introduction of the New Economic Policy, NEP, in the 1920s. |
