Papers > By author > Gritsenko Victoria

In today's world an alternative future can ultimately be regarded as an opposite of neo-liberalism with its social injustice and outstanding inequality. We see this alternative project as a contemporary left vision of society, built upon the deep analysis of Soviet experience and modern high technologies considered from the perspective of Marx's concept of universal labour and general intellect. In his famous “Cyber-Marx” N. Dyer-Witheford suggests a sketch of an alternative future that includes the institution of a guaranteed annual basic income, the creation of universal communications networks, the use of these networks in decentralized, participatory counter-planning, and the democratic control of decisions about techno-scientific development. Firstly, we'll discuss the theory and practice of guaranteed annual basic income, showing the advantages and dangers of using this instrument in the interests of different classes and social groups. Then, we'll turn to the experience of Soviet nationwide automated data processing and control system and Chilean Cybersyn to discuss the practice of building a complicated and highly specialized planning systems. We attempt to demonstrate that the development of such (and more complex) systems is the only possible way of modern planning economy implementation. Finally, we'll come to K. Marx's ideas of universal labour and general intellect to show how his theoretical forecast comes true through the controversies of first socialist systems and the oppression of modern capitalism.