Episode 130: Marx’s Conception of Socialist Society: Responses to Raekstad’s Reading

Resuming a discussion of Paul Raekstad’s Karl Marx’s Realist Critique of Capitalism, which began with an interview with the author in Ep. 120, co-hosts Andrew Kliman and Gabriel Donnelly respond to the book’s interpretation of Marx’s conception of socialist society. After recapping aspects of the book that they particularly appreciate, they take up Paul’s contention that socialism, for Marx, centers on democratic planning, ending the division of labor, and distribution according to need. They discuss important features of Marx’s concept of socialism that this formulation leaves out (the changed purpose of production, direct sociality of labor, elimination of value relations), and its inattention to the economic differences between socialism’s lower and higher phases. The co-hosts suggest that, to realize socialism here and now, we must focus on the lower phase, and that, to critique Stalinism realistically and effectively, we must focus on the profound differences between the lower phase and capitalist society. (Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Program is referenced extensively during the segment.)

The co-hosts have invited Paul Raekstad back to the podcast to discuss the issues.

Plus current-events segment: the co-hosts discuss the inauguration and the first week of Trump’s second term.

Radio Free Humanity is a podcast covering news, politics and philosophy from a Marxist-Humanist perspective. It is co-hosted by Gabriel Donnelly and Andrew Kliman. We intend to release new episodes every two weeks. Radio Free Humanity is sponsored by MHI, but the views expressed by the hosts and guests of Radio Free Humanity are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the views and positions of MHI.

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