From Alpha To Omega

This episode is a recording of a talk I recently gave to the Dutch marxist group ‘De Socialisten' (https://socialisten.org/). The talk was titled ‘Cybernetic Socialism for the 21st Century', and was in conjunction with INDEP, the Independent Network for Democratic Economic Planning (https://www.indep.network/).Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hkrjEdPUjNQht43i7QtWgrL0w_6aCzAb/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104947114006179117811&rtpof=true&sd=trueYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHDM775B0nI

We give a detailed update on our book progress, replete with Q&A from the chat.https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

Join us today @17:00 London Time, 1pm EST for a book update!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E63zMEeh6Tw

This week we have part-two of our discussion with my co-author Donal O'Coisdealbha on the Toyota Production System, and its implications for socialism. You can find some of Donal's writings on his blog called the office for control over results.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaDonals blog:https://theofficeforcontroloverresults.wordpress.com/ Book Website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

This week we have the first of a two-parter with my co-author Donal O'Coisdealbha on the Toyota Production System, and its implications for socialism. Donal has recently started a blog for those interested in the TPS and such topics as statistical process control, control systems engineering, operations research and management science, called 'The Office For Control Over Results'. (https://theofficeforcontroloverresults.wordpress.com/). If you'd like to find out more about the book and how you could help support us in the project, head on over to theclasslesssocietyinmotion.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

This week we welcome Tomas Hardin to the show to talk about his thoughts on socialist planning. You can check out his blog “Tomas' place in cyberspace” where he recently published a post on “Co-simulation and Feedforward Planning”. (https://www.xn--hrdin-gra.se/blog/2024/04/14/co-simulation-and-feedforward-planning/) International Network for Democratic Economic Planning (INDEP): https://www.indep.network/Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

This week I am delighted to welcome Nick Rogers to the podcast to talk about his recent paper “Reflections on the Economics of Socialism” that he wrote for a recent special issue of the Journal of Global Faultlines. Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaBook Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We finish our discussion of Chapter 9 - “Is the Precariat a Class''.Da Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_linkBook Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

Donal and I host a livestream where we talk all about the progress of our socialist planning book.https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We continue our discussion with Geoffrey Bell about his book ‘The Twilight of Unionism: Ulster and Future of Northern Ireland'.

This week I am delighted to welcome Geoffrey Bell to the show, to discuss his book ‘The Twilight of Unionism: Ulster and Future of Northern Ireland'.Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

This week Donal  and myself discuss a really excellent book we recently read on the socialist calculation debate. The book is called Rivalry and Central Planning, and is written by the Austrian economist Don Lavoie.The Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

We welcome Peter Åström to the podcast, to discuss an article he recently wrote for the Riff-Raff journal. Riff-raff describes itself as a ‘journal for a theoretical discussion of communism as a real movement'.The article: http://www.riff-raff.se/texts/en/the-commodity-and-communismThe book project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We continue our discussion of Chapter 9 - “Is the Precariat a Class''. Our socialist planning book project: theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com

We continue our discussion of LL Mens "The Capitalist Nature of the 'Socialist' Countries: A Politico-Economic Analysis"

Today Donal and myself discuss an amazing text by the little known Hong Kong based Left Communist L.L. Men.You can download the text from libcom.org here: https://libcom.org/article/ll-men-two-texts-defining-communist-programmeThe self-publishing friendly version of the pdf:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jQYDzqw_dLIDYc1zt8B9tRdE-DvCXLsQ/view?usp=sharingBook Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We start our discussion of  Chapter 9 - “Is the Precariat a Class''. Book Project:  theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com. The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link

We continue our discussion of  Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''.Drunken Russian Miners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgnmWYy-9ds&ab_channel=JustBeniiSocialist planning book: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link

We are delighted welcome back Prof. Peter Hudis to the show to talk about the introduction he wrote for the new edition of the Critique of the Gotha Program by PM Press.Critique of the Gotha Program (PM Press):https://pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1241Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We welcome back Donal to the show, to talk about a paper he wrote for the new radical journal - The Black Lamp. The paper is called: ‘Viability Guided Decision Making: Modelling organisations using Viability Guided Decision Making'It's a very interesting paper which proposes a novel approach to fairly recent developments in cybernetic theory, and applying them to complex social systems. Donal, on top of the book project we are working on, has just completed a masters in System Engineering & Engineering Cybernetics in the Kazan National Research University over in Russia.The paper:https://www.black-lamp.com/posts/modelling-organisations-using-viability-guided-decision-makingThe Socialist Planning Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We continue our discussion of  Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''.The Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link

We talk with Dr. Sara Swerdlyk about Rosa Luxemburg's Mass Strike. Sara has a PhD from the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at the Central European University and works for Between the Lines, a leftist book press based out of Toronto.https://btlbooks.com/

We continue Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''. The Planning Book Project:http://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.comThe slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link

We begin Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''.https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaSocialist Planning Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/The slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link

We continue our conversation with Professer Thomas Uebel to the show to talk all about Otto Neurath and his impact on economic theory, the socialist calculation debate, and socialist planning.Planning Book Website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

This week I'm really delighted to welcome Professer Thomas Uebel to the show to talk all about Otto Neurath and his impact on economic theory, the socialist calculation debate, and socialist planning.Professor Uebel was the editor of 'Otto Neurath - Economic Writings Selections 1904-1945'.Planning Book Project Website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

Part two of our conversation with Pat Devine on his thoughts about socialist planning.

This week I'm delighted to welcome Pat Devine to the show. Pat is an honorary research fellow at Manchester University and the author of ‘Democracy and Economic Planning: The Political Economy of a Self-Governing Society'.Planning Book Website:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

We continue our discussion with Cira Pascual Marquina 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 begin Chapter 7 - “The Ambiguities of Class in Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century''.Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2OmegaSocialist Planning Book:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1H22tkE7UmVQWgRPC_vt3GpCLCVZM5JmzA6SQ2-3qVLk/edit?usp=share_link

We continue our discussion Ed George from the Ed George's Reading Marx Blog. We talk about a paper Ed wrote about long waves in history and what they mean for revolutionary action. The paper we discuss:https://edgeorgesotherblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/through-what-stage-are-we-passing/Reading Marx's Capital blog:https://readingmarx.wordpress.com/Book Project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega

This week I'm delighted to welcome Ed George from the Ed George's Reading Marx Blog. Ed's blog is a great resource for anybody who is serious about trying to understand Marx's work.https://readingmarx.wordpress.com/Book project:https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/

We finish 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 continue our discussion with Cira Pascual Marquina 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 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