Subservience and Authority

Reading Response: "What's Labor Got to Do with It? Capitalism and the Counterproject" - David Schweickart

Capitalism doesn't work. Socialism doesn't work. Communism doesn't work. The only thing that could work is Schweickart's "counterproject" - a "best of both worlds" scenario is an "all embracing project for human emancipation."

Something that intrigues me about this piece is the section in which Schweickart describes the Economic Democracy. He starts out by saying that the authoritarian structure of most workplaces should be replaced with something more democratic, what he calls "worker self-management." Workers are responsible for all that happens in the workplace. However, once the firm increased in size, he said it would be necessary for the workers to appoint managers and executives. Then he says that although the workers control the workplace, they do not own the means of production.

Perhaps I am misreading this statement, but it seems as though Schweickart is writing in circles; Workers throw off authorities in order to govern themselves, but then appoint authorities over themselves. Although workers control the workplace and are responsible for everything that happens in it, they do not "own" it. Their workplace does not belong to them.

These statements make it seem like trying to combine the best parts of socialism and capitalism isn't really possible. Though each system has its flaws, it may be better for society to pick one and go with it, rather than making a series of qualifications that don't even seem like they support each other.

Actually, after today's video and discussion, I am reconsidering where I stand on this issue.