Correct me if I'm wrong, but is ParEcon is the only place, even on the left, that alternatives economic systems are being forwarded?

Well, no, that is not so. Historically there have generally been four tracks of visionary economic thinking....

1. based on centrally planned models, ala the Soviet experience
   
2. based on market models, ala the Yugoslav experience
   
3. based on a very decentralized approach almost forgoing allocation in the name of face to face interaction and green localism
   
4. based on council democracy and participation, but often not talking about allocation much or clearly.
   

Parecon is an extension of the 4th heritage, I would say.

The first is rather dormant right now. The third probably has its proponents but has never really gotten into any compelling detail, I think.

So the 2nd orientation and variants on the 4th are the ones where most of the action is now – which is not all that much, to be sure.

Almost all radical economists currently ignore economic vision and are in practice, I think social democratic, therefore implicitly favoring some kind of enlightened capitalism, or are what they term market socialist (which I think has nothing to do with socialism in any healthy sense of that word) espousing various market models, with public ownership or worker’s ownership, etc.

But one thing to keep in mind about looking to past ideas - while there is plenty to find and learn from, we also need to think anew, ourselfves. In this regard, GDH cole's admonition is worth highlighting...

"Woe betide those who seek to save themselves the pain of mental building by inhabiting dead men?s minds."

 

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