No Silver Platter

Abstract

Prior to World War II, progressives were concerned whether the lone socialist state could survive in a capitalist world. The latter's active and dangerous hostility made the problem more complex than the logic of history should provide. There was fear that the new order might be choked off before it could demonstrate its superiority. As that threat receded and the viability of the Soviet system was assured, the converse of the question was sometimes proposed as a happy but preposterous thought. With the dramatic shift in the preponderance of forces following World War II, it becomes a practical problem. We ask seriously how long the capitalist country can preserve its peculiar institution in a socialist world.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.