From 3185bc5c64c2416737e04c3d54017f7f52fe17dc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Dessalines Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2018 21:22:06 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Adding paul cockshott cyber-communism essay. --- paul_cockshott_cyber_communism.md | 36 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ socialism_faq.md | 1 + 2 files changed, 37 insertions(+) create mode 100644 paul_cockshott_cyber_communism.md diff --git a/paul_cockshott_cyber_communism.md b/paul_cockshott_cyber_communism.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..98e18cb --- /dev/null +++ b/paul_cockshott_cyber_communism.md @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +# Paul Cockshott - Cyber-Communism + +Taken from his book, [Towards a New Socialism](http://ricardo.ecn.wfu.edu/~cottrell/socialism_book/), [audiobook here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjHCPWs5sl4&list=PL0-IkmzWbjoZNiItBbuVvKQBdE80tsyhx), and specifically his youtube lectures [Going beyond Money](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI01-5zhwdA), and [Getting down to details](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTl4b0w6mpk). + +## How it works + +- Production takes place. All goods / services are valued by their **composite labor time** ( in labor voucher hours, see below ). Factor in depreciation and education into cost. For example, a smartphone might cost 0.5 labor hours. Goods that have neglible marginal cost ( ~ 0 labor hours ) would be free. +- Open, publicly funded research and development is shared by all, with the goal of **decreasing the labor time cost** of every good. +- Workers are paid in labor vouchers per hour work performed. Working 8 hours would earn you 8 LVH ( labor voucher hours ). Multipliers *may* be used if certain work is deemed more necessary, or dangerous, but most likely limited by a certain ratio to foster community. +- Goods are sold in public shops. +- Shop managers are instructed to adjust labor prices so that all goods are sold. While a good selling out is itself an indicator of demand, adjusting by a certain limited ratio gives more demand information, and prevents unwanted goods from going to waste. +- Each good now has a ratio of its *sold labor time* to actual labor time cost. +- If goods are selling *above* their actual labor cost ( ratio > 1 ), that means society wants *more* labor allocated to produce that good. Below that means they want less labor allocated. +- Planners adjust output targets based on this demand. +- Planners do material balances to derive gross output requirements. +- They compare these requirements with the *actual resources* available. Some of these might be set by environmental constraints, or limited quantities. +- Population uses direct democracy to vote on how much labor to allocate to non-consumer goods ( see below ). +- They see if the final output targets can be met, and if not, go back to the adjust output targets step. +- Finally, form a detailed production plan, broadcast it over the internet to all productive facilities, monitor production ( and sales ) in real-time. Adjust plan accordingly. + +## Essentials + +### Labor vouchers + +- Earned by workers. 1 LVH = 1 Labor Voucher Hour earned per hour of work. +- Attached to a single person / family, likely through a credit card. +- Can only be exchanged for consumer goods. +- Are destroyed after being used in shops. +- Possibly destroyed after a certain amount of time ( to prevent hoarding ) + +### Direct democracy for non-consumer goods + +- New enterprises, entertainment, research and development, social services are all examples of non-consumer goods. + +- Major strategic decisions taken democratically by all the interested population. Minor decisions left to planners. Information open to all, voting available to all. +- Society votes on how much labor to devote to social services: education, health care, child care, environmental protection, national defense. diff --git a/socialism_faq.md b/socialism_faq.md index 3969c3e..dfa53f9 100755 --- a/socialism_faq.md +++ b/socialism_faq.md @@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ * [What are the differences between Marxism, Marxism-Leninism, Trotskyism, MLM, and Stalinism?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Anarchy101/comments/87apl4/differences_between_marxism_lenninism_trotskyism/dwbj3so/) * [Can someone give us a quick like-we're-five rundown of the distinctions between Trotskyism, Maoism, orthodox Marxism, and so on?](http://www.reddit.com/r/communism101/comments/132d5s/can_someone_give_us_a_quick_likewerefive_rundown/) * [What's the difference between anarchism and communism?](https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateCommunism/comments/576t0d/im_an_anarchocommunist_leninise_me/) +* [What's the difference in economic structure ( production and distribution) of anarchism, anarcho-communism, and Marxist communism?](https://old.reddit.com/r/DebateCommunism/comments/9ak0wo/whats_the_difference_between_communism_and/e4w0v9n/) * [What are Mao's contributions to Marxism? (MLM)](https://jiminykrix.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/what-maoism-has-to-offer-the-world-and-why-so-many-former-non-communists-think-its-dope/) * [Looking for reference to types of communism.](http://www.reddit.com/r/communism101/comments/1fcc6o/looking_for_reference_to_types_of_communism/) * [What was Engels Contribution to Marxism?](https://necessityandfreedom.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/without-engels-there-would-be-no-marxism/)