Richard Wolff described his understanding of Marxism in this episode and I'd
suggest that anyone who has read Marx, listen to what he says. I have not
read Marxist theory, or perhaps I read samples of it in college courses. But
given the fact that I attended college from 1955 to 1959 while the cold war
was at the center of our country's consciousness, it's doubtful. As Wolff
remarks, he studied Economics and History at three Ivy League colleges and
his highly competent professors wouldn't touch the subject with a ten foot
pole. However, what I learned today from Wolff is that the theory focuses on
the class conflict that is inherent in the capitalist workplace and the
solution implied, is worker cooperatives rather than employer/employee
arrangements. The theory does not involve state socialism because if the
state is the employer, the same employer/employee conflict may result. It
has nothing to do with government control or government ownership. That is
what Economic Update was about, today.
Miriam.
