Alan Freeman joined the list today. I sent an announcement earlier but it
hasn't cleared yet because it tells people how to find the names and
e-mail addresses of list members. I forwarded a listing of e-mail address
to Alan already. Although we have talked about procedure for some time, I
felt that it was best to forward his comments to the list for others to
consider. -- Jerry
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 21 Sep 95 06:23:10 EDT
From: Alan Freeman <100042.617@compuserve.com>
To: Gerry Levy <glevy@acnet.pratt.edu>
Cc: Paul Cockshott <wpc@cs.strath.ac.uk>,
JIM DEVINE <74267.2057@compuserve.com>, John Ernst <ernst@pipeline.com>,
Michael Perelman <michael@ecst.csuchico.edu>,
Gil Skillman <GSKILLMAN@mail.wesleyan.edu>
Subject: OPE List
Gerry
Thanks for contacting me about the OPE list. I would like to take part
in what seems a magnificently ambitious undertaking. I have however
a couple of comments.
First, if he would be willing to take part, I would like to suggest that Andrew
Kliman is involved. Also isn't this the sort of thing that Chris Burford would
be interested in? Second, the list in the proposal you sent me seems to include
people from quite diverse theoretical traditions as you say. I don't see
anything
wrong with this and in fact I am in favour of it, but it might mean you should
be less ambitious about the outcome. Is it really practical to expect us all
to agree on an outline of political economy? Wouldn't it be more fruitful to
have a framework in which at certain points, we are just going to have to
agree to differ?
What I think would be extremely useful is a facility for discussing some of
the more contentious issues at greater length, for example by establishing
an upload area for discussion papers. I find I cannot keep up with the 'rapid
fire' discussions on PEN-L and the marxism list, and in fact I have quit the
Marxism list for this reason. I think it is an excellent enterprise but I just
don't
have the time. I like to think about things for a bit. If we could have longer
but
more considered discussions on the proposed new list I would be greatly
in favour of it.
These are not hardened points of view but comments which I hope may help.
So they don't, for me, present an obstacle to participating in the OPE project
as it stands and I thank you again for extending an invitation to me.
I have copied this to all the people whose E-Mail addresses I have here at
home. This omits Rakesh, whose E-Mail I only have at work, Iwao, Michael
Lebowitz, Paul Zarembka and Paul Burkett. If you think it relevant, could
you forward this to them and if it is not too much trouble, send me their
addresses. Otherwise I will pick them up in the course of time.
Best wishes for success
Alan Freeman