Recent ZBloggers
- Jerry Fresia
- Don Fitz
- Peter Bohmer
- Michael McGehee
- Kim Scipes
- Michael Albert
- Carl Davidson
- Gar Lipow
Recent Sustainer Blogs
New pages comparing Capitalism and Parecon
By Michael Albert at May 10, 2004
I am busy creating a "site" within ZNet and the Parecon site that is about comparing capitalism and participatory economics. It means to be succinct, aesthetically appealing, and provocative to further investigation. I could use help. As a work ... (More) Comments (0)
By Michael Albert at May 10, 2004
I recently put a Q/A on the site and in the mail about the Parecon paperback edition, the recent mailings re parecon, etc. I thought I would answer the same questions here, a bit less formally -- a bit more personally -- in accord with blog expectations. ... (More) Comments (0)
By Michael Albert at Apr 11, 2004
This weekend I had the unusual and rather mixed pleasure of speaking at an academic gathering. I actually thought it was going to be my usual type of audience -- students, activists, interested folks, etc. But instead, much to my surprise, it was about 14... (More) Comments (0)
By Michael Albert at Apr 11, 2004
Bob Dylan meant and means a lot to me -- so you can perhaps imagine my mood on seeing him advertising Victoria's Secret. I don't know which is sadder. That he did it. Or that reports indicate there is a huge sales bump as a result. In any event, I can ass... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert, Last
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: In the book Parecon, you make no mention, that I can find anyway, of remuneration for the work of "caring" in the home – child raising, caring for the elderly, etc. This is a big issue with feminists: how do you address it? Albert: I talk abo... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 11
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: Why don't you call yourself a socialist? It seems to me Parecon is well within the socialist tradition. Are you uncomfortable with being associated with that tradition? Is the socialist tradition about fighting against domination and hierarch... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 10
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: You say your notion of parecon was influenced by your experiences with real "alternative" organizations like South End Press. Can you tell us something about these experiences and how they shaped your thinking? Parecon emerged conceptually fr... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 9
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: Singer also asked, what do you do when changed conditions, say a natural disaster, require instant decision-making? How do you answer this question? Albert: The question about responding to changes in people's preferences or in material condi... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 8
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: OK, let's forget about the slackers v. the nerds and approach the time issue in a more socially serious way. On a panel you organized at the 2003 World Social Forum, a former mayor of Porto Alegre described a real-life experiment in something ... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 7
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: That response raises all kinds of questions and sets off some alarm bells in my mind. To start with one of them, which may seem trivial, but is actually very central to our differing visions of a utopian arrangement: When you say "let's say so... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 6
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: Have you ever tried to calculate the human labor costs of all the planning involved in parecon? Or maybe I should say "time" not dollar "costs." Yes, in the various books the issue of time allotment is certainly addressed. And the discussions... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 5
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: Before proceeding to other matters, my big reason for wanting some things to remain marketized is that it would reduce the burden of planning. As you know, some have complained that parecon condemns us to endless meetings, so why not leave "no... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 4
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: I don't want to prolong the skirt discussion (I hardly ever wear them myself), but I am confused about the way you conflate markets with capitalist exploitation. There were markets of one kind or another for thousands of years before capitalis... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert Q/A 3
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: An eloquent answer, and I fully agree on the importance of keeping our vision in sight even while battling in the trenches. But there are alternatives to the present global power arrangements other than -- you might say "short of" -- the parti... (More) Comments (0)
Ehrenreich Interviews Albert, Q/A 2
By Michael Albert at Apr 10, 2004
Ehrenreich: The book is incredibly optimistic, some would say utopian. At a time when most on the US left are fighting constant erosions of rights and services -- all of which were limited enough in the first place -- what do you think the role of a book ... (More) Comments (0)


