Competition, Conscious Collective Cooperation and Capabilities: The Political Economy of Socialism and the Transition

Abstract

Since socialism as a logically consistent system will both produce and require human beings with different consciousness, behavior and capabilities than those produced and required by capitalism, one has a chicken-and-egg dilemma for a transition to socialism. Particularly important is the obfuscation of the social cooperative nature of human production (and hence existence) behind both the ideology and reality of competition and markets. This article considers a transition to socialism from this perspective. Sections II and III consider the end points of a transition, capitalism and socialism, in regards to these issues of markets, competition, consciousness, cooperation and abilities. Section IV discusses the central issue in a transition. Section V poses the conundrum presented in the opening of this abstract. Finally, sections VI and VII present two examples from today's world that are argued to offer processes of resolution to the dilemma, one from industry and one from civil society.