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http://tinyurl.com/ou2pfzj The Future of Latin American Post-Neoliberalism By: Francois Houtart Published 3 January 2016 (13 hours 55 minutes ago) - Telesur What are the margins of possibilities for a post-capitalist project? [Good question, but he does not answer it, just ends with the question!] 2015 has been hard for the progressive countries in Latin America. The decline in commodity prices affected them all. The reaction could be going back to the hegemony of the market or steps forward towards post-capitalism. The main feature of a post-neoliberal phase of capitalism has been the return of the state as regulator of the economy and for the redistribution of wealth. It was not a transformation of the model of accumulation. That allowed alliances between capitalist accumulation and social concerns. It has been the era of social capitalism and green economy, but it did not change the fundamental logic of the economic system (profit maximization and ignorance of externalities). It relieved to some extent, the most painful consequences, depending from the countries. It has been achieved through economic policies (renegotiation of the foreign debt in Ecuador, for example) or through social measures (welfare state to combat poverty, but creating clients and not new social actors) and better access to public services (health, education). The project was also to modernize a country out of the economic, social and cultural backwardness preventing it from competing in the global market and building a welfare society that places the nation at an acceptable level within the international scene. The conception of modernity implicitly and uncritically adopted the idea of linear progress on an inexhaustible planet, transmitted by the logic of capitalism, as the Ecuadorean philosopher Bolivar Echevarria demonstrated. It is also what happened to the European and Asian socialist countries. The new or modern capitalism (post-neoliberal) accepts the fight against poverty, because it creates more consumption, which at medium and long time favors the market. It is in favor of formal employment and social welfare, because it stabilizes the labor force. It does not mind paying more taxes if the state ensures a sufficient degree of political stability, which enables a safe process of profits. These are reasonable expenses to ensure the reproduction of the system of capital accumulation. In addition, modern capitalism distances itself from the traditional oligarchic capitalism and some of its protagonists are part of the new political systems. Others are part of the opposition, when they think that the post-neoliberal project does not ensure a sufficient rate of profit. Much also depends on the links with foreign monopoly capital. However, in a crisis of accumulation, social achievements are the first victims (Brazil). Full: http://tinyurl.com/ou2pfzj _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
