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Economics for Emancipation

Economics for Emancipation

A Course of Economics for All

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MODULE 4

As we imagine a better economic system, we want to be able to discern, name, and think critically about the different possibilities.

In this module, we examine neoliberal capitalism, our current system, and four alternative economic systems. We analyze the ownership, allocation, and governance of resources within each of those systems, consider their historical context, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. 

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify different kinds of socialism (i.e. social democracy, central planning, democratic planning, and market socialism) 
  • Envision how ownership and allocation in our economy could look differently in a world we wish to see

Materials

For Groups:

  • Facilitator Guide
  • Facilitator Slidedeck
  • Participant Workbook
  • Big Idea Project Workbook

For Individuals:

  • Interactive Workbook

VIDEO LESSONS:

Takeaways

  • Discussing the questions of ownership, allocation, governance, and division of labor among different types of “socialist” economic systems will allow us to critically engage in creating the vision of the economic system we want to see.
  • Neoliberal capitalism is marked by private ownership of the means of production, with commodity production and wage labor for the goal of profit maximization. 
  • Social democracy is a gentler form of capitalism with stronger regulation of capital to protect workers, consumers and the environment, and a social safety net.
  • Centralized planning is a system where the government owns and manages all businesses through top-down planning, while providing a robust welfare state.
  • Market socialism is where firms are owned and/or managed by their workers (with no capitalist class), and compete in free markets. Democratic planning features worker and community coouncils from local to international levels who democratically plan all aspects of the economy.

NEXT

MODULE 5:

The Evolution of U.S. Economic Systems →

Readings

"Left Anti-Communism: The Unkindest Cut"

Michael Parenti

The People’s Republic of Walmart: How the World’s Biggest Corporations are Laying the Foundation for Socialism

 Leigh Phillips & Michal Rozworski

Another Now

Yanis Varoufakis

"Why Socialism?"

Albert Einstein

Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism

Richard Wolff

Ours to Master and to Own: Workers' Councils from the Commune to the Present

Immanuel Ness & Dario Azzellini

The Contradictions of “Real Socialism”: The Conductor and the Conducted

Michael Lebowitz

Democracy And Economic Planning: The Political Economy Of A Self-governing Society

Pat Devine

After Capitalism

David Schweickart

Parecon: Life After Capitalism

Michael Albert

Cuba Since the Revolution of 1959: A Critical Assessment

Samuel Farber

 “System Change: A Basic Primer to the Solidarity Economy”

Emily Kawano and Julie Matthei

Videos

Flavors of Socialism Playlist

"Intro to Participatory Economics"

"What is Economic Democracy?"

(2016)

"Understanding Democratic Socialism"

(2019)

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Economics for Emancipation is a project of the Center for Economic Democracy.

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  • MODULES
  • VIEW ALL MODULES
  • Introduction to the Economy & the Working Day
  • How Capitalism Works
  • Redistribution vs. Recognition
  • Alternative Economic Systems
  • The Evolution of U.S. Economic Systems
  • Fiscal and Monetary Policy
  • Building Alternatives: Solidarity Economy