(OPE-L) Re: an empirical question re socialism

From: gerald_a_levy (gerald_a_levy@MSN.COM)
Date: Fri Oct 24 2003 - 17:29:27 EDT


Paul C wrote:

> There might be problems with this as not all the activities 
> listed in gdp would be productive labour that would 
> continue under socialism. 
> On the other hand, the labour could in principle be 
> transfered to other activities without changing the 
> magnitude of GDP greatly, so you would not be 
> far out. 

Right, that was what I was thinking as well.

(btw, how would 'productive labor' be defined under socialism?)

Anyway, here are a couple of estimates:

An estimate of world GDP per capita for 2001
was US $7200  (http://www.worldfactsandfigures.com/gdp_country_asc.php )

An estimate of world income per capita for 1995
(in 1987 US$) was $3,535 (http://www.geocities.com/combusem/WORLDGDP.HTM

Not a heck of a lot of income/capita when looked at on a
global basis.  Seems quite a long way from 'abundance'.

In any event, what would be mechanisms in which global
inequality could be purposely reduced among socialist
nations?  Would 'unequal exchange' be required? 

In solidarity, Jerry


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