From Alpha To Omega

We welcome Cira Pascual Marquina to the show to talk about the Venezuelan commune movement. Cira is a Political Science professor at the Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela in Caracas and a writer and editor for Venezuela Analysis. El Panal Commune:https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15629Indorca Workers:https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15542

We continue our reading of Chapter 6 - “Occupations as Micro-classes''Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaThe book project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mkSN9fmij-0ZhUnKaIcDaA7iDuQ7WSnscYIORth3HA8/edit?usp=share_link

We continue our reading of Chapter 6 - “Occupations as Microclasses''Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaThe book project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mkSN9fmij-0ZhUnKaIcDaA7iDuQ7WSnscYIORth3HA8/edit?usp=share_link

We start Chapter 6: “Occupations as Micro-classes''Planning Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaSlides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mkSN9fmij-0ZhUnKaIcDaA7iDuQ7WSnscYIORth3HA8/edit?usp=share_link

On this episode we give an analysis of the excellent recent paper by Andrew Kliman on the Critique of the Gotha Program. Paper:https://www.marxisthumanistinitiative.org/economics/marxs-critique-of-the-gotha-program-on-capitalism-vs-communism.htmlBook Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

We continue Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis''Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaThe Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing

We continue Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis''.Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing

We continue Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis”.The Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing

We start Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis”Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaSlides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing

This week we welcome Frieder Otto Wolf to the show to talk about Rudolf Hilferdings marxist classic ‘Finance Capital’. Frieder is a philosopher, political scientist, politician, and humanist, and an honorary professor of philosophy at the Freie Universität Berlin since 2007. He has also recently co-edited with Judith Dellheim ‘Rudolf Hilderding: What Do We Still Have to Learn from His Legacy?’ from Palgrave, New York. We talk about what we have to learn from Hilferdings seminal work, what it got right, and where it falls down.Book Project Website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

We finally finish Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’. But not before we get down and dirty with worker rents.Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharing

We continue Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’ and give neoclassical economics both barrelsBook Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharing

We continue Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharingBook Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

We finish our reading of the Paul Mattick 1970 Introduction to the ‘Fundamental Principles’.https://libcom.org/library/introduction-paul-mattick Book Project website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

The second part of our discussion with Sorrel on his time living in egalitarian communes.

This week we welcome Sorrel to the podcast to talk about his experiences living in egalitarian communes. These communes are based upon a labour time system, similar to that proposed by the GIC in the Fundamental Principles.

Today we read Paul Mattick's 1970 introduction to the Fundamental Principles of Communist Production and Distribution.The book project website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The Paul Mattick Introduction:https://libcom.org/book/export/html/616

We begin Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’.The book project website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The link to the slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharing

This is part three of our discussion with Nicholas C. Scott about the role of the self organised Cordones in the Chilean revolution.

This week is part two of our discussion with Nicholas C. Scott about the role the self organised Cordones played in the Chilean revolution.Nicholas recently had an article about the Cordones published in the Washington Post:https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/04/26/chile-is-writing-new-chapter-its-history/The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

This week I’m delighted to welcome Nicholas C. Scott to the podcast to talk about the role the self organised Cordones played in the Chilean revolution. Nicholas is a PhD candidate in Latin American history at the University of Virginia and a specialist on the history of the role of the Cordones during the Chilean revolution.The book project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

Today we read Chapter 17 ‘Final Considerations’, which finishes our reading of the book.The book project website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We discuss a computer simulation of the parecon planning process with Mitchell Szczepanczyk

We finish Chapter 3 - ‘Metatheoretical Foundations of Charles Tilly’s Durable Inequality’. Book project website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RVTrPWEPEJlItgHSjf9dVQoKxRXx3rCGgPx13rZCugY/edit?usp=sharingPanellists:Derick - Mortal Science, Varn VlogKyle - General Intellect UnitTiberius - Jumpsuit Utopia

Today we finish Chapter 15 ‘The Introduction of Communism in Agriculture’ and begin Chapter 16 ‘The Economic Dictatorship of the Proletariat’. The book project website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We talk with Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh, author of a number of books, including the first biography of Marx in the Irish language. In translating Engels writings about the state, Aindrias has identified some interesting developments of Engels ideas on the role of the state in a post-revolutionary socialist society. We also discuss the current state of the Irish language, and the role it has played in Irish society over the decades.

We continue Chapter 3 - ‘Metatheoretical Foundations of Charles Tilly’s Durable Inequality’.The book project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RVTrPWEPEJlItgHSjf9dVQoKxRXx3rCGgPx13rZCugY/edit?usp=sharingPanellists:Derick - Mortal Science, Varn VlogEzri - Swampside Chats, Mortal Science, Jumpsuit UtopiaKyle - General Intellect UnitTiberius - Jumpsuit Utopia

Part 2 of our chat with Brendan about the dump of an Irish Catholic boarding school we went to.The Book Project Website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

This week my friend Brendan and I recount some tales from our days in an Irish Catholic boarding school. Recorded over a few beers on St Patrick’s day in Brendan's house, beside a nice turf fire, with the sound of the crows in the background.The Book Project Website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

Today we read the second part of Chapter 14: ‘The Control of Operational Life’ and Chapter 15 ‘The Introduction of Communism in Agriculture’.The book project website is:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

Donal and myself make a major announcement.Check out the website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We start Chapter 3 - ‘Metatheoretical Foundations of Charles Tilly’s Durable Inequality’.The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RVTrPWEPEJlItgHSjf9dVQoKxRXx3rCGgPx13rZCugY/edit?usp=sharingPanellists:Derick - Mortal Science, Varn VlogEzri - Swampside Chats, Mortal Science, Jumpsuit UtopiaKyle - General Intellect UnitTiberius - Jumpsuit Utopia

We continue our discussion with Prof. Robin Hahnel on the ins and outs of the planning procedures of Participatory Economy.

We welcome Prof. Robin Hahnel to the show. Prof. Hahnel and previous guest Michael Albert are the people who came up with Participatory Economy, or Parecon, a vision of a de-centrally planned socialist economy. We discuss Parecon Planning and Allocation in great detail!

Today we read Chapter 14: ‘The Control of Operational Life’.

This week we read Chapter 13: ‘The Expansion of Production’.

We pick back up where we left off in our discussion with Xur about what can be salvaged from the wreck of the blockchain and crypto scene for our future communist society.

We welcome Xur to the show, to talk about all things blockchain and cryptography. In this first part 1 we dig deep into the technical problems associated with the current crypto scene. In part 2 we pick the corpse of the blockchain to salvage what we can for our future communist society.

We continue with our reading of Chapter 2 - ‘Shadow of Exploitation in Weber’s Class Analysis’.This episode was editing by the Jordan. Thanks so much, Jordan!The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RfG5oI3vCX6Z7pB3GfCH68CmYRBwrBecNIkwOgQKo4g/edit?usp=sharingPanelists:Derick - Mortal Science, Varn VlogEzri - Swampside Chats, Mortal Science, Jumpsuit UtopiaKyle - General Intellect UnitTiberius - Jumpsuit Utopia

After a post covid lull, we welcome to the show Prof Helen Scott, editor of the Haymarket books version of the Rosa Luxemburg classics ‘Reform or Revolution’ and ‘The Mass Strike’. In this episode we discuss ‘Reform of Revolution’, Rosa’s text which critiqued ‘Evolutionary Socialism’, the seminal revisionist work of the dark lord of reform within the SPD, Eduard Bernstein.Helen is currently working on Volume 5 of the complete works of Rosa Luxemburg, which is due to be released in the coming months. If you’d like to help contribute to this mammoth undertaking, you can donate here:https://www.toledotranslationfund.org/complete_works_rosa_luxemburg

Today we read Chapter 12: ‘The Abolition of the Market’.

We welcome back Andrew Kliman to the show, to talk about a paper he recently published about the Breakdown Model of Henryk Grossman.The paper, which contains the link to the Spanish translation:https://www.marxisthumanistinitiative.org/economics/henryk-grossmanns-breakdown-model-on-the-real-cause-of-the-fictitious-breakdown-tendency.html

We return to where we left off last time, in Chapter 2 - ‘Shadow of Exploitation in Weber’s Class Analysis’.Many thanks to Jordan for editing this and the next episode in the series.The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RfG5oI3vCX6Z7pB3GfCH68CmYRBwrBecNIkwOgQKo4g/edit?usp=sharingPanelists:Derick - Mortal Science, Theorizing with a HammerEzri - Swampside Chats, Mortal Science, Jumpsuit UtopiaKyle - General Intellect UnitTiberius - Jumpsuit Utopia 11

We finish our reading of Chapter 10: ‘The General Social Work’, and plough through Chapter 11: ‘The Accounting as an Ideational Summary of the Production and Distribution Process’.

We read Chapter 10: ‘The General Social Work’, and get deep into the bowels of the GIC 'proposal'.The critique is over..... for now.

This week we continue on our journey through Chapter 2 : ‘The Shadow of Exploitation in Weber’s Class Analysis’.The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RfG5oI3vCX6Z7pB3GfCH68CmYRBwrBecNIkwOgQKo4g/edit?usp=sharingPanelists:Derick - Mortal Science, Theorizing with a HammerEzri - Swampside Chats, Mortal Science, Jumpsuit UtopiaKyle - General Intellect UnitTiberius - Jumpsuit Utopia 11

We read Chapter 9: ‘The Social Average: Working Hour as the’, and read Chapter 8: ‘ The Social Average Working Hour as the Basis of Consumption’

We talk with the Swedish Procurement Guru Emanuel all about capitalist procurement theory, the flaws of standard economic demand and supply theory, and what allocation, or the lack of, in capitalism can teach us about planning a communist society.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraljic_matrix

We finish Chapter 7: ‘The Communist Production’, and read Chapter 8: ‘ The Socially Average Working Hour as the Basis of Production’.

This week we tackle Chapter 6 - ‘ The Social Production Process in General’ and Chapter 7: ‘The Communist Production’.