The purpose of this paper is to trace, first, the traditional Marxian argument (in Capital, Volume 1, and the "Communist Manifesto") regarding the evolutionary development of the capitalist system and the concomitant emergence of a revolutionary class-consciousness. It will be suggested that these arguments are theoretically incompatible with other assumptions Marx makes regarding the role of the state. Second, an alternative argument will be outlined focusing on comments Marx made concerning the revolutionary potential of self-managed cooperative enterprises. It will be argued that this latter argument provides valid conceptual grounds for a new strategy leading to the establishment of socialist society.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Baddon, L. et al., 1989. People's Capitalism?London: Routledge.
2.
Baxter, Dave.1989. "Marx, Lukes and Human Rights." Social Theory and Practice15(3):355-373.
3.
Blumberg, Paul.1973. Industrial Democracy. New York : Schocken Books.
4.
Clayre, A. (ed.). 1980. The Political Economy of Cooperation and Participation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5.
Hutchins, B.C. and A. Harrison.1968. A History of Factory Legislation. New York: Augustus M. Kelley.
6.
Marx, Karl.1962. The Civil War in France, in Selected Works , Vol. 1. Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House.
________. 1975. On the Jewish Question. Pp. 146-174 in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Vol. 3. New York: International Publishers.
10.
.1976 a. Capitai; Vol. 1. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
11.
. 1976 b. The Poverty of Philosophy. Pp. 105-212 in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Vol. 6. New York: International Publishers.
12.
. 1976c. "Results of the Immediate Process of Production." Appendix to Capital, Vol.1. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
13.
. 1985 a. "Inaugural Address of the Working Men's International Association." Pp. 5-13 in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Vol. 20. New York: International Publishers .
14.
________. 1985b. "Instructions for the Delegates of the Provisional General Council." Pp. 185-194 in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Vol. 20. New York: International Publishers .
15.
Marx, Karl and Frederick Engels .1976a. Manifesto of the Communist Party. Pp. 477-519 in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Vol. 6. New York: International Publishers .
16.
. 1976b. The German Ideology. Pp. 19-539 in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Vol. 5. New York: International Publishers.
17.
McMurtry, J.1978. The Structure of Marx's World-View. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
18.
Mellor, M., J. Hannah, and J. Sterling.1988. Worker Cooperatives in Theory and Practice . Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
19.
Nightingale, D.V.1982. Workplace Democracy. Toronto : University of Toronto Press.
20.
Oakenshott, R.1978. The Case for Workers' Coops. London : Routledge and Kegan Paul.
21.
Potter, B.1891. The Cooperative Movement in Britairc. London: Swan Sonnerschein.
22.
Quarter, J. and G. Melnyk (eds.). 1989. Partners in Enterprise. Montreal: Black Rose Books.
23.
Scott, J.W.1979. The Glassworkers of CarinauxCambridge : Harvard University Press.
24.
Thompson, E.P.1968. The Making of the English Working Class. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
25.
Wood, Ellen Meiksins.1986. The Retreat from Class. London : Verso.
