Alternatives to Capitalism

by Jon Elster (Editor), Karl O. Moene (Editor)

The essays in this provocative collection survey and assess institutional arrangements that could be alternatives to capitalism as it exists today. The agreed point of departure among the contributors is that on the one hand, capitalism leads to unemployment, a lack of autonomy in the workplace, and massive income inequalities; while on the other hand, central socialist planning is characterized by underemployment, inefficiency, and bureaucracy. In Part I, various alternatives are proposed: profit-sharing systems, capitalism combined with some central planning, worker-owned firms in a market economy, or the introduction of the elements of market economy into a centrally planned economy as has occurred recently in Hungary. Part II provides a theoretical analysis and assessment of these systems.

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Jon Elster ، born 22 February 1940, Oslo) is a Norwegian social and political theorist who has authored works in the philosophy of social science and rational choice theory. He is also a notable proponent of analytical Marxism, and a critic of neoclassical economics and public choice theory, largely on behavioral and psychological grounds.

In 2016, he was awarded the 22nd Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science for his contributions to political science.

Reviews

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elster is a priest of Marxism. A reformer himself, sadly, his only training is in Continental Philosophy. So logical fallacies are the building blocks for his pseudo-reasoning.

Besides being dull, the book is just another stepping stone to furthering an academic paper pusher career. Because true believers go on shaking their heads "Marxism IS right" and the others rest the same.

His mix of hindsight and prophecy reminds me of a much recent event when Venezuela was deemed as an Earthly utopia only to reveal itself as yet another communist work camp.

So maybe if Elster would have qualified to do anything other than humanities. If he only would have had a less dogmatic mind. On the other hand, he has chosen his career right. Like any preacher, people and institutions are happy to pay him. And that is bringing him far bigger and richer homes and means of transportation than what the Scandinavian social security might give him any time. Only he ends up a hypocritical capitalist preaching marxist humility, the same as the drunk village priest seen by his young father.

Later edit: what makes everything disgusting is that all followers of Marxism at state level implied travel restrictions. Yet the Marxist Preacher enjoys travel and high pay checks, unlike the billions suffering the effects of his sermons.