Participatory economics

Participatory economics is ( about German codetermination economic system ) for Participatory Economics. Participatory economics is a proposal for an economic system that seeks to build on the principle that every person have a say in decisions to the extent to how he or she is affected by these. The value base, resting on the participatory economics stems from the tradition of anarchism and socialism. It is based on the beginning of the 1980s and 1990s, works created by co-founder of Z Magazine Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel the economist.

• 2.1 assemblies
• 2.2 Planning Processes
• 2.3 Balanced field of work
• 2.4 Compensation by effort

Parecons rejection of capitalism

The rejection of markets

Since the buying and selling of goods and services in markets without say that expires, which are not involved in the sales process, but can still be affected by this, participatory economics rejects this. A simple example is the sale of arms, which is in the interests of buyers and sellers, but rarely in the interest of the company. It's the same with addictive substances such as alcohol and nicotine; these cases may be regulated to a certain extent, but the logic of markets attracts momentary individual interest always before seen in the long term and general interest. One might well argue that the production and the purchase (or sale ) of cars for use in densely populated areas considered both economically, ecologically and practically, much less is in the interest of present and future population of a country, as a strong developed mass transportation system. But this question would not arise from the perspective of participatory economics, if only producers and consumers would enter into negotiations with each other.

The rejection of private ownership of means of production

The representatives Pareconists reject the conception of ownership of means of production, as it would give the owner or the owner undue influence on economic decisions. For example, large companies would operate with very great freedom in the interest of the power of their owners, without giving outsiders a say in decisions that affect them. These decisions are of non-negligible importance: " are produced What is " The questions, "Who is to produce ", "How to be produced "? " What is researched ,"? " What is invested ," affecting all members of a society; but only a fraction of these would decide from the perspective of participatory economics. The logic of private ownership of the means of production would exclude the participation of the population in the most basic economic decisions. The political procedures of a parliamentary then dealt only with administrative matters such decisions. That said the American social philosopher John Dewey, when he wrote that "the Government is the shadow cast by the corporations throw over society " ( "Government is the shadow cast by big business over society" ).

The institutional framework of participatory economics

The authors present themselves as a scaffold for its own economy, which should underpin a classless, self-determination preserve and economically just society, the following principles and institutions:

Meetings

All producers and consumers - and not just their leaders - to democratically participate in producer and consumer meetings (in English councils ). This could be broken down by size and geography. Decisions should be taken at the appropriate level; such concerns, for example the construction of a statewide high-speed rail network, the entire population, and would be ultimately decided in a national assembly; but the application of a community library in a residential community would undoubtedly only this somewhat.

Planning processes

Every year is to be developed with the participation of all members of society, a plan to use the existing means of production, distribution of goods and services produced and establishing the necessary investments. The decision is based on the meetings and also allows each more local meetings shall elect representatives who are then sent to the meetings, which involve a larger number of people. The mediation between the producer and consumer associations should be done by a group that should have the right to propose, if the wishes and offers diverge.

Balanced field of work

Everyone should have to make both interesting and monotonous work. The work is thus divided into " balanced job complexes ". So in a company has every worker the same share of interesting as well as to monotonous work. Who has done monotonous work over a longer period, accordingly, is entitled to a longer period of interesting work. Since the work can be more pleasant in certain industries than in other industries, the workers in these " pleasant " industries are to be used as a balance to unpleasant collaborative work. The jobs are expected to be comparable in their attractiveness on average; this is to prevent forms a class society. Thus everyone has the motivation to fulfill his task so that it serves the public interest, for it endures even when participatory economics works, also the average effort and has no more comfort than others.

Remuneration according to effort

It is rewarded after exertion, and less attractive labor should be rewarded later. So should sweep the streets when it appears less attractive, are higher paid than computer programming. The moral reason behind it is that the latter can be a creative and exciting for the people working. Also justifies a higher education is not necessarily a higher wage. The reason for this is that probably any study is more interesting and more fun than the same time working as a street sweeper - thus the sacrifice of the road Feger is greater than that of the students and the completion of the training does not justify a higher wage. And even if the study would require more sacrifice, a life- long massively higher wage would hardly be justified.

Summary

In this model, there is no need for secret decisions, as competition in the same way is going on, such as Linux programmers in a competition are - it's more of a mutual support and friendly cooperation. There is no need for collusion or not free documents or software.

Criticism

According to followers of the Austrian School participatory economics is subject to the same pricing problem as other planned economies also: The knowledge of a society is distributed over many millions or even billions of individuals, it consists mostly of unartikulierbares, so do not representable knowledge. It is not possible to transfer it to a central planning body such as a government agency, council or a supercomputer.

In a planned economy, so also in the participatory economics model, there is ultimately only one unit can distribute the production factors. Therefore, there are no market prices and an economic calculation is difficult. Order in the distribution of production factors like - from the Austrian School perspective - to be successful as a free market economy, the central planning unit would have all the knowledge society unite in itself. Since this is impossible, according to the Austrian School, each planned economy economics is necessarily poorer than a comparable market-based economy, in which a solution to this problem is suspected. Also, the recourse of the participatory economics model of democratic decision-making mechanisms can not solve this problem because of a variety of individual recommendations only one that is the most used.

Some anarchists accuse participatory economics, so that the society was presented to tightly organized, has strong institutions, and thus is contrary to libertarian values.

Similarities and differences to communism

With the rejection of private ownership of capital goods and in the effort of a classless society to recognize similarities of criticism with that of communism. The self-determination of the people - a key issue in participatory economics - is also a declared goal of communism. However, many who call themselves Communists or Marxists want initially capitalism overcome on the way to this empowered society through the establishment of a centralized and authoritarian state (which even Karl Marx himself did not intend ). Participatory economics wants, however, prevented by the balanced fields of work that - as happened in the socialist states of the 20th century - a class of bureaucrats (the " coordinator class " by Michael Albert) is created, which is in comfort and power over the rest of the population.

Some insightful historical parallels here to the dispute between Marxism and anarchism since the mid-19th century (see Marxism vs. anarchism ).

Examples

Some businesses that are led by participatory economics principles:

• South End Press, a publishing house in Boston, Massachusetts.
• Mondragon café, bookstore and restaurant in Winnipeg, Canada
• G7 Welcoming Committee, a punk / hardcore label from Winnipeg, Canada

• Michael Albert: participatory economics: Life After Capitalism, Verso Books ( 2004) ISBN 1-84467-505- X Available online
• Michael Albert: life after capitalism Nevertheless Verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-931786-33-1
• Michael Albert: Moving Forward: Program for a Participatory Economy, AK Press, 1997, ISBN 1-902593-41-3