Global Neoliberal Capitalism and the Alternatives: From Social Democracy to State Capitalisms

Description

Since the world economic crisis of 2007, commentators have pointed to the dangers of a capitalistic system that seems incapable of delivering sustainable growth and well-being. This bold new book offers an exhaustive diagnosis of global capitalism across the world’s nations. David Lane examines the nature and appeal of neoliberal capitalism according to different schools of thought, and he analyses proposals for its reform and replacement from state socialism and social democratic corporatism to self-sustaining networks. Looking ahead to a novel system of economic and political coordination based on a combination of market socialism and state planning, this book offers crucial insights for scholars thinking about alternatives to capitalism. Front cover Global Neoliberal Capitalism and the Alternatives: From Social Democracy to State Capitalisms Copyright information Table of contents List of Figures, Tables and Boxes About the Author Acknowledgements 1 Introduction Critiques of global capitalism The alternatives Neoliberalism and the alternatives Organisation of the book 2 Global Neoliberalism and What It Means The economic basis of neoliberalism Liberalism as a comprehensive ideology Maintaining stability and promoting progress The individual and society The rule of law The neoliberal social system Financialisation and speculation The regulatory role of the state Self- regulating markets Conclusion 3 Neoliberalism: A Critique Psychological subjectivism Catallaxy and the fulfilment of wants Economic outcomes are not optimal Ownership and control Global economic crisis Political power and possessive individualism Conclusion Part I Socialist Contenders and Their Demise 4 Socialist Visions Socialism as a normative order Socialism defined Marxism and socialism The state socialist alternative The planned economy: the theory Justification of a planned economy Embedding planning in society Conclusion 5 The State Socialist Challenge and Its Market Socialist Critics Building the basis of socialist society The rise of state socialism Economic and social consequences of modernisation Criticism of the planning system State socialism: an appraisal Market socialism in theory Participatory socialist planning The limits to reform under state socialism 6 The Decay of Social Democracy The social democratic post-Second World War alternative The statist credentials of the British Labour Party The transformation of Western social democracy Reasserting Labour’s traditional values The rise of a neoliberal conservatism Neoliberalism as a political project The demise of the social democratic alternative 7 The Conversion of Social Democracy to the ‘Third Way’ Identity, diversity and class Identity politics From ruling classes to pluralistic elites Social democracy moves towards neoliberalism Foreign affairs: the global perspective An appraisal of New Labour Deepening economic inequalities New Labour’s income policy The fall of New Labour The revival of socialism in a democratic framework? 8 State Socialism Moves to a Market Economy Perestroika: from reform to transformation The social bases of radical economic reform and counter-revolution Support for radical reforms Transformation and the role of transnational interests The transition to capitalism Part II Capitalist Globalisation and Its Adversaries 9 From Industrial to Global Capitalism From national to global capitalism The globalisation phenomenon Globalisation as a form of capitalism The economic underpinning of globalisation The global economy Variations of globalisation between states Cultural and informational globalisation Interpersonal globalisation Glocalisation Does globalisation lead to inequality? The globalisation balance sheet 10 The Changing Global Class Structure and the Challenge of the Semi-Core The changing structure of the ruling classes The challenge of the semi-core From peripheral dependence to competitive interdependence Globalisation in reverse? Conclusion 11 Self-destructing Propensities of Global Capitalism The coming of post-capitalism The rise of the ‘creative class’ The role of the state Ownership of the means of production Marxist revisions Conclusion 12 The ‘Anti-Capitalist’ Critique The Occupy movement The ‘networked’ society Reformist perspectives Conclusion 13 Ecological ‘Catastrophe’ Ecological catastrophe The market solution ‘Save the planet’ The Marxist critique An ‘ecological civilisation’? A non-consumptionist economy Convivial de-growth 14 Social Democratic and Socialist Perspectives Globalised social democracy Social democratic parties in power Corporate social responsibility Socialist perspectives: a shift to socialist globalisation? Socialist globalisation Socialist coordinated economies on a world scale Political mobilisation Within system reforms Conclusion 15 The Challenge of State Capitalisms State capitalism State socialism State-capitalism The Marxist state-capitalist critique of the Soviet economy An assessment of the state-capitalist paradigm Lenin’s version of state capitalism The Chinese variant: a socialist market economy The differentiation of ownership Is China ‘state-capitalist’? Future scenarios for China 16 Regulated Market Socialism Five alternative economic formations Mechanisms and movements for social change Regulated market socialism Re-evaluating the planning mechanism Changing the structures and obligations of economic corporations Obstacles to socialist measures Making the transition The international dimension Conclusion Appendix 16A: Social Formations: Patterns of Coordination and Control Appendix 16B: Regulated Market Socialism Index