Socialism and Kornai’s revolutionary perspective
| Autor: | Mehrdad Vahabi |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord (CEPN), Université Paris 13 (UP13)-Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (USPC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Economics and Econometrics
JEL: D - Microeconomics Sociology and Political Science 05 social sciences Perspective (graphical) Economic reform Neoclassical economics [SHS.ECO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Economics and Finance 0506 political science Market socialism JEL: B - History of Economic Thought Methodology and Heterodox Approaches Socialism Political science 0502 economics and business JEL: E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics 050602 political science & public administration 050207 economics JEL: P - Economic Systems ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS JEL: H - Public Economics Public finance |
| Zdroj: | Public Choice Public Choice, Springer Verlag, In press, ⟨10.1007/s11127-019-00720-5⟩ |
| ISSN: | 1573-7101 0048-5829 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11127-019-00720-5 |
| Popis: | In this paper, I argue that the principal message of Janos Kornai’s work was to underscore that the dysfunctional properties of socialism are endemic and systemic, and cannot be “reformed”. In a sense, Kornai’s role was similar to the French Encyclopedists in preparing the ground for France’s 1789 revolution. Kornai’s intellectual contribution was to formulate a revolutionary discourse emphasizing the sterility of half-measure, cosmetic changes, and reform packages. His conclusion was based on two foundations: (1) the unity or what Kornai calls the ‘coherence’ of socialism as a system, and (2) rejection of market socialism as hopelessly confused. Accordingly, reforms would introduce inconsistencies at best, without solving socialism’s chronic problems. Moreover, the inconsistences of the half-measures would erode socialist systems, inevitably leading to revolution. This paper will examine Kornai’s two tenets of revolutionary discourse and his final conclusion in light of Hungarian economic reforms that started on January 1, 1968. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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