Description
Book SynopsisCapitalism is in crisis. Is a better world possible and what would it look like? Taking Socialism Seriously breaks important new paths for significant social change by examining detailed questions seriously that had previously been neglected.
Trade ReviewTaking Socialism Seriously raises questions on what socialism concretely is and how we can get there. . . .The Occupy movement organized the greatest radical movement in recent memory, it could possibly have persisted longer with a convincing, coherent vision of an alternative to capitalist economy. In such a political environment, Taking Socialism Seriously offers an important and useful contribution. . . .Taking Socialism Seriously indeed engages with these questions that must be significant for all of us seeking to build the world without oppression and exploitation. * Against the Current *
[T]his collection will take its place as both an organizing and invigorating force for change alongside those books detailing viable paths to socio-economic alternatives for the 21st century. It should also be recognized as supporting and extending the vision of those who throughout history have sought to develop a working alternative to capitalism. Feeling a part of this historical mission may have the greatest effect on enthusiasm for its eventual achievement. * Science & Society *
After a seemingly endless period of quiescence, resistance to the depredations of the capitalist system has once more erupted throughout the world, reawakening a widespread awareness of the many evils capitalism brings in its wake. However with the end of Communism and the seemingly permanent crisis of socialist politics, it has become unclear what the alternatives to capitalism are. The essays in this collection explore that issue from a variety of perspectives—with a view to determining what remains living in the socialist tradition, what can be retrieved or reconstructed from it, and what must ultimately be discarded. -- Andrew Levine, Senior Scholar, Institute for Policy Studies and author of In Bad Faith: What's Wrong with the Opium of the People
This timely volume shows that—whatever one calls it—it is essential to take the non-capitalist alternative seriously. Rejecting pat answers, the authors creatively explore topics ranging from romantic love and human nature to the division of labor, the 'information age,' how to combine democratic planning with the market, and the importance of social movements in the transition, thereby showing the necessity and viability of building a genuine alternative to capitalism. -- Nancy Holmstrom, Professor Emerita, Philosophy, Rutgers University - Newark
A half dozen of our finest Marxist philosophers have outdone themselves in Taking Socialism Seriously. The Occupied Wall Street movement will not find a better guide to help them think through the deeper problems and possibilities of the new political landscape with which they have surprised us all. HIGHEST MARX (and an additional gold star for the exemplary clarity with which even the most difficult questions have been presented throughout)! -- Bertell Ollman, New York University, author of Dance of the Dialectic: Steps in Marx's Method
Table of ContentsIntroduction by Anatole Anton and Richard Schmitt Twenty-five Questions about Socialism by Richard Schmitt In Defense of Marxism by Milton Fisk, But What Is Your Alternative? Reflections on Having a 'Plan' by David Schweickart, Romantic Couple Love, the Affective Economy, and a Socialist-Feminist Vision by Ann Ferguson Human Nature and Socialism: Taking Human Nature Seriously by Karsten Struhl Socialism, Post-Capitalism and the Division of Labor by Anatole Anton Socialist Solidarity by Richard Schmitt Is Socialism Relevant in the “Networked Information Age”? A Critical Assessment of The Wealth of Networks by Tony Smith Beyond Capitalism and Socialism by Richard Schmitt Social Movements and Struggles for Socialism by John L. Hammond
