Paul Auerbach's Socialist Optimism offers an alternative political economy for the twenty-first century. Present-day capitalism has generated growing inequality of income and wealth, persistent high levels of unemployment and ever-diminishing prospects for young people. But in the absence of a positive vision of how society and the economy might develop in the future, the present trajectory of capitalism will never be derailed, no matter how acute the critique of present-day developments.

The detailed blueprint presented here focuses upon the education and upbringing of children in the context of social equality and household security. It yields a well-defined path to human development and liberation, as well as democratic control of working life and public affairs. Socialism as human development gives a unity and direction to progressive policies that are otherwise seen to be a form of pragmatic tinkering in the context of a pervasive capitalist reality.

There are many books available making eloquent critiques of capitalism, but none offer such a rigorous, detailed blueprint of a twentyfirst century alternative The book has been written to appeal to a broad international public The book extends the current literature on a range of topics from political economy, politics, economics and history, making it valuable in a range of academic and teaching contexts

Autorentext

Paul Auerbach received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin, USA, and has been Reader in Economics at Kingston University, UK, since 1990. He has published work in academic journals such as the Journal of Economic Surveys and the Journal of Economic Issues as well as the New Left Review, and is the author of Competition: The Economics of Industrial Change (1988). His research interests include the measurement of economic growth, the economics of competition, and the relationship between education and economic development.

Klappentext

Zusammenfassung
But in the absence of a positive vision of how society and the economy might develop in the future, the present trajectory of capitalism will never be derailed, no matter how acute the critique of present-day developments.

Inhalt
Introduction

PART I: Socialism and Central Planning
Introduction to Part I

1. Planning and Spontaneous Order
2. The Giant Firm and the Plan
3. Technocratic Planning and the Emergence of a Socialist Orthodoxy
4. Socialist Theory and Practice
5. Ironies of History: Markets, Planning and Competition

PART II: Human and Economic Development
Introduction to Part II
6. Education and Economic Growth: The Statistical and Historical Record
7. Education as a Social Process
8. The Working and Living Environment
9. The US as Exemplar and Paradigm
10. Economic Growth and Inequality

PART III: Socialism and Human Possibilities
Introduction to Part III
11. Education in a Free Society
12. Equality and Democratic Control

Conclusion
Bibliography