Re: [OPE] Productive labour and capital redistribution

From: Anders Ekeland <anders.ekeland@online.no>
Date: Sun Jun 14 2009 - 14:36:02 EDT

>I introduced the concept of the N.M.E.C. (admittedly something of a
>conceptual blunt instrument with which Marxists such as Anders
>Ekeland are uncomfortable) both because (1) it is historically
>accurate - as Christian Rakovsky began to analyse, a cohesive
>political ideology can form class power out of existing social
>stratifications, for a particular social grouping with a distinctive
>socio-economic interest - and because (2) I think we need to break
>the Marxists completely out of the idea that their own Marxist
>prescription for a new social order automatically leads, upon
>implementation, to a more efficient, less oppressive, more
>egalitarian and more progressive society in which people have more
>possibility to develop themselves.

Just for the record. I was critical of using NMEC for individual,
wage earners, in most cases public employees (univ. profs etc.) like
Bettelheim or Mandel.

When it comes to "intellectuals at Power" like the Bolsheviks, the
Chinese communists (cfr. Roland Lew's book), Vietnam, Cuba ... I am
open to use the concept "New exploiting class", but it is more
important to explain the rise and fall of such classes, their
historical "mission", their role in society than just to use the
category "exploiting class". More analysis is needed.

But exploitation means that you appropriate unjustly material or
spiritual resources - and I just cannot see that Bettelheim did that.
He materially exploited nobody, did not steal anybody's ideas to my knowledge.

Regards
Anders

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Received on Sun Jun 14 14:41:20 2009

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