A ‘Happy’ Coincidence: Cognitive Capitalism and Well-Being Enhancement in Schools

Author(s): James Reveley / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

‘Almost certainly we are witnessing a shift to...a market individualism of neoliberalism where the self is shaped as a utility maximiser, a free and contractual individual, who is self-constituted through the market choices and investment decisions that he/she makes....In the face of increasingly technical and functional forms of literacy and of schooling, we might inquire whether school in an age of consumerism promotes a relation to the self based on truth-telling or whether this relation has been replaced by another primary ethos: happiness, security, survival, success, ‘self-improvement,’ wealth.’ (Besley and Peters, 2007: 18)

A „jó anya” mítosza Magyarországon a reproduktív munka és a piac globális történetének szempontjából

Author(s): Gergely Csányi,Szabina Kerényi / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 24/2018

Based on Foucault’s theory of the soul, as well as the methodological insights of Fernand Braudel and world-systems analysis, in our paper we demonstrate how the myths of the good and the bad mother were created by certain actors during the various cycles of the capitalist world system, and how these myths have been embedded into the logic of capitalistic accumulation. We show how these myths, on the one hand, contributed to securing the unpaid reproductive labour necessitated by accumulation, and on the other hand, supported a new market segment from the 19th century onwards. First we present an outline of the history of the myth of the good mother at the core of the world system, then we summarise the socialist myth of the good mother. Finally, we use empirical examples to illustrate the contemporary Hungarian myth of the good mother.

A Soros Alapítvány képzőművészeti támogatásai Magyarországon: A nyolcvanas évek második felének tendenciái

Author(s): Kristóf Nagy / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 21/2014

The following paper examines the influence of the Soros Foundation over the internal and external relations of the Hungarian art field form 1984 to 1989. More specifically, it investigates the forms and directions of fine art subsidization and their political and ideological contexts. The activities performed by the Soros Foundation in the second half of the 1980s can be seen as part of a regime change within the artistic scene. In their struggle for cultural hegemony various actors related to the Foundation were able to strengthen their counter-hegemonic artistic practices. Opposing the late socialist artistic hegemony of the Kádár regime, this also was the period when „contemporary” art appeared in Hungary for the first time. As a result, Hungarian art had been put into context with the Western art world: new dependencies were formed, within which Hungarian and Eastern European art found itself in a peripheral position. An important consequence of this was that Eastern European artists became forced to continually demonstrate their Europeanness both internally and externally.

A System Dynamics Approach to Analysing the Effect of Clientelism on Public Organizations Performance in Italy

Author(s): Federico COSENZ / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2010

This paper tries to analyse the effects of political clientelism on the performance of public utilities and organizations in Italy. Shortly, clientelism consists in a series of reciprocal convenience-based relationships between politicians and individuals, commanding unequal resources and involving mutually beneficial transactions in terms of economic, social and political consequences. The motivation of this research stems from the fact that analysing the effect of clientelism may contribute in (1) improving the quality of electoral strategies and the resulting public policies and (2) managing the performance of public organizations according to a sustainable perspective. Hence, the key issues of the paper are the following: is clientelism a sustainable mechanism to enlarge the consensus of a given party? How does clientelistic practice impact on public organizations management and subsequent performances? What should public managers do to limit the effect of clientelism and maintain satisfying performance results in providing services towards citizens? In the light of the above questions, the paper points out the cause-and-effect relations among those variables underlying such clientelistic practices by using a System Dynamics approach which allows one to frame a complex system and understand its development over time.

A szén-dioxid mint értékmérő. Hogyan teremt értéket és pénzt a klímaváltozás?

Author(s): Steffen Dalsgaard / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 25/2019

The introduction of the Kyoto Protocol is an attempt to save the climate through a number of schemes, or mechanisms, that commodify carbon. Among other things, these schemes create monetary incentives to reduce carbon emissions through the trade of permits and credits, and they make carbon an object of financial speculation. Most controversial is apparently the potential of carbon thus to be a universal yardstick for value by commensurating moral spheres of human action (the environment, the economy, development, etc.) that some people regard as distinct. This paper explores the consequences of the speculative aspects of carbon as a standard of value and as potential currency.on

A szülés és a reproduktív technológiák értékelméleti megközelítése

Author(s): Kathryn Russell / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 24/2018

Social and technical changes in reproduction are drawing childbirth into the marketplace. People are creating new relations that separate genetic, gestational and social parentage. Reproductive engineering makes options of in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, surrogacy, and fetal tissue transplants. This paper explores an analogy between childbearing and social labor, arguing that the labor theory of value gives insight into the social functions of childbirth under capitalism. The valorization of childbearing is consistent with other ways of socializing the reproduction of labor power despite the capitalists need for an autonomously functioning private household sector. A value-theoretic approach is necessary to reveal how childbearing is being placed in material relation with other forms of labor under capitalism. Neither reproductive engineering nor biological difference are themselves sources of oppression for women, but when found in a historical context where value can be extracted, childbearing can become a form of alienated labor.

A társadalombiztosítás politikai gazdaságtana. A racionális magyarázatkísérletek rövid története

Author(s): Béla Janky / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 4/2018

This paper provides a non-exhaustive survey of the political economy literature on intergenerational redistribution. We concentrate on the explanations of the emergence, persistence and some specific features of pay-as-you-go public pension systems. The major question of the surveyed literature is how to explain the popularity of a social security system which reduces the welfare of the median voter. After a short survey of the history of the field, we present four models which represent four distinct approaches to the problem, and belong to four different periods of the history of the research program. The studies presented here highlight the possible roles of rigid institutions, an implicit intergenerational contract, intergenerational altruism and uneven lobbying capacities in shaping modern social security systems. The major novel feature of our perspective is the strong emphasis on the analysis of empirical foundations of behavioral assumptions of political economy models.

A tőke és a gondoskodás ellentmondásai

Author(s): Nancy Fraser / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 24/2018

Nancy Fraser tracks the reconfiguration of the relations of social reproduction under successive regimes of accumulation – “separate spheres”, male breadwinner, dual-income household. Are the exactions of financialized capitalism now serving to undermine its lifeworld?

Adam Smith, Commercial Society and the Challenges of Republicanism

Author(s): Rafał Lis / Language(s): English / Issue: 25/2017

The aim of this article is to examine the challenges Adam Smith’s account of commercial society pose to republicanism. The research problem and methods: Although I do not dispense with the conventional depiction of Smith as a critic of republics, it is shown that from a republican point of view there are certain aspects in his narrative that can be more interesting. Conceptualized in this way, my argumentation is both interpretative and theoretical, describing what Smith had to say on republican issues as well as finding some elements in his considerations that could considerably enrich republican theory. To make these prospects clearer I briefly refer to some parallels to Smith’s suggestions in the republican thought of the late 18th Century. The process of argumentation: The article deals in the beginning with Smith’s criticism of republicanism, identifying its core in his general distance towards the ideals of a more ardent citizenry. In the main section it proceeds to the discussion of several elements in Smith’s considerations which could be of some value to republican theorists. Research results: According to Smith, due to their obsoleteness in the times of commercial society, which were characterized especially by the growing importance of private pursuits, republics become difficult to administer. However, one could still use some of his arguments (especially those that can be easily filtered from their doctrinal connotations) to the task of modernizing the republican tradition. Conclusions, innovations and recommendations: Smith’s considerations could be valuable to all those republican theorists who continued in their efforts to modernize their conception of a republic. Seen in this way, they can be perceived as an interesting reference point in the area of republican theorizing.

Adam Smith’in Devlet Anlayışı Üzerine Kuramsal Bir İnceleme

Author(s): Kürşad Zorlu,Hale Kirmizioğlu / Language(s): Turkish / Issue: 22/2018

The purpose of this study is to throw light on the state, one of the most important structures in social sciences and its functions. This great structure on which the discussions have not been ended and which has been defined in terms of every social science. For this purpose, the ideas of Adam Smith who handled and examined the state in terms of its functions especially in economic realm were prioritised general overview of the state. Since, Adam Smith’s conception of the state presents a different content than the other prominent mainstream economic thinkers of his time. In order to understand Smith’s thought system and his views of state from a managerial perspective, his views in his two primary works – The Theory of Moral Sentiments and The Wealth of Nations and other discussions concerned with these views in literature were included in this study.

Adam Smith’s Concept of Value of Labor. Anglo-American Perspective till Mid-19th Century

Author(s): Magdalena Modrzejewska / Language(s): English / Issue: 25/2017

The aim of this paper is to investigate applicability of Adam Smith’s Labor Theory of Value (LTV) and present both: the development of Adam Smith’s LTV as well as the early Anglo-American respond to the thesis that lab-our is real measure of the exchangeable value of all commodities. The research problem and methods: Paper analyses premises that led Adam Smith to formulate his thesis that the labor it the only common measure of all value; as well as the reasons for critiques and appraisals of Smith’s thesis. Using analytical methods, as Frederic Beiser defined it, paper will “identify the problem behind a passage, the question the author is attempting to answer, (…) reconstruct the arguments the author gives for its solution, i.e., formulate them into premises and conclusion [and] (…) appraise these arguments, determining their formal validity and the quality of the evidence for them.” The process of argumentation: After taking preliminary considerations on development of Smith’s theory the paper examines the earliest critique by the Anglo-American thinker Thomas Pownall. Finally, to investigate shortcomings of Pownall’s criticism, the paper explores various British and American attempts to implement LTV in Utopian experiments and validate ac curacy of Smith’s assumptions in practice. Research results: The result of the study is to clarify the Smith’s LTV concept and present it in new light, without the Marxist distortion given to it by both: Karl Marx itself and Marxists supporters. Conclusions, innovations and recommendations: This proves that no matter how disputable and undefined the LTV concept might be, and besides all imperfections of LTV theory emphasized by Pownall, under specific circumstances it might be implemented into practice. The paper focuses on pre-Ricardian economy and Utopian social experiment and there fore it provides new context of analysis does not intend to present the Marxist variations on LTV.

Adam Smith’s natural liberty system

Author(s): Janina Godłów-Legiędź / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

The aim of the article is to show the falsity of the dominant perception of Adam Smith’s doctrine. In the context of different interpretations, the paper draws attention to four issues. Firstly, the formalistic revolution in economics contributed to ignoring the institutional dimension of the market mechanism. Secondly, the idea of natural liberty emerged as a reaction to the mercantilist policy and was directed not against the sovereign as such but against policies advancing particular interests. Thirdly, the liberty was to serve not only the capital and the employer but, above all, the labor and the employee. Fourthly, the Smithian market order is a form of metacoordination, hence John Nash's game theory cannot prove Smith's ideas wrong.

Administrative Costs of Taxation in the Slovak Republic

Author(s): Ladislav Pompura / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 0

Administrative costs of taxation are for many years investigated by the economic theory and practice. They are connected with the principle of effectiveness of taxation and the goal for any state is to collect taxes relatively as cheap as possible. The goal of this paperis to present our data about the administrative costs of taxation in Slovakia and to compare results with the situation in other developed countries. We decided to use the already existing and tested Czech methodology to calculate results, to be able to obtain comparable data. Our results suggest that the administrative costs of taxation in Slovakia, expressed by the percentage of costs to tax revenues, are higher than in almost all comparable countries – some actions to improve this situation would be necessary.

Afektywne dostrojenia i sprawczość w czasach późnego industrializmu

Author(s): Marek Pawlak / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2018

The article explores the context of the expansion of Opole Power Plant, which has fuelled new migration patterns in the region of Dobrzeń Wielki. By drawing on the ethnographic fieldwork among construction workers working at the expansion site and living temporarily in the region, it aims to problematise the relationship between their mobile livelihood, agency and affective attunements. It argues that the emergence of late industrialism, which coincided with the neoliberal reconfigurations of global political economy, has produced different modes of uncertainties, forced flexibilities and rather bleak futures.

AFIRMIRANJE I ZAGOVARANJE ENERGETSKE POLITIKE U FUNKCIJI EKONOMSKOG RASTA I RAZVOJA

Author(s): Emir Tahirović / Language(s): Bosnian / Issue: 2/2019

One of the most crucials and most important sectors in contemporary countrys is energetic sector. Development of energetic sectors and energetic potencials deeply depends on one countrys position on the global scale. Countrys with well developed energy sector are key players and global actors of all events in the world. Countrys as such clearly and precisly formulated and implemented energetic politics into practice realising in the right way their importance for future growth. However, energetic politics althou crucial and important for countrys developments, especially those less or non developed in new times find themself in front of constant obsticles. External effects that take place when energetic potencial is activated got into global policys eye. Advocates of enviormental protection are strongly against growth and developments of energetic sector because of external effects that sector produces. This problem is only posible to solve by adequately harmonising energetic politicsand enviormentl protection politics,since both of those public sector policys are important to one country. Conclusion is that how by adovacy of energetic public policys should be present, but with requierd respect for other public policys, mainly enviromental protection policy. Adequete implementing depends on theyr synchronisation of sustainable life.

AFRICA’S EXTERNAL TRADE RELATIONS: FROM DEPENDENCE TO AGENCY?

Author(s): Garth Le Pere / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2019

Africa’s development and growth challenges will increasingly be shaped by Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) as new continental blueprints for integration. These challenging blueprints must also be situated in the role and shifting interests of Africa’s external trade and development partners. This relates particularly to its historically-defined engagements with the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) which have only served to reinforce and underscore Africa’s marginality and dependence. These engagements are rendered more complex with the entry of China and India onto the African geo-political landscape, especially whether these two countries provide an alternate regime for trade and development cooperation that give African countries greater decision-making agency, policy space, and strategic choice. Given these shifting vectors, this article will assess Africa’s trade relations with two of its most important traditional partners, the EU and the US; and with two of its most important emerging partners, China and India. These analytical portraits have direct implications for Africa’s future industrial development and economic growth and the extent to which it can collectively move away from a history of external dependence to determining its own destiny.

Agrarne początki kapitalizmu

Author(s): Ellen Meiksins Wood / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 26/2017

This article presents the underlying assumptions and main arguments of "political Marxism." The author shows how and why the beginning of capitalism should be primarily associated with the countryside and agriculture, and secondarily with the city and trade. The subordination of food production processes to the imperatives of capitalism determines capitalism’s revolutionary character. The main reason for that lies in the transformation of the processes responsible for the reproduction of the whole society and not only for the distribution or redistribution of surpluses.

Agricultural and Rural Capital Markets in the EU Candidate Countries: Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey

Author(s): Štefan Bojnec / Language(s): English / Publication Year: 2011

This paper analyses agricultural and rural capital factor markets in the three European Union candidate countries: Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia and Turkey. Aggregate capital market indicators and their dynamics, and factors driving agricultural and rural capital markets are analysed and compared in these countries. In general, agricultural and rural capital markets show similarities with general capital market developments, but agricultural and rural capital markets are facing specific credit constraints related to agricultural assets and rural fixed asset specificities, which constrain their mortgages and collateral use. Credit market imperfections have limited access to the investment credits necessary for there structuring of small-scale individual farms. Government transfers are used to differing extents in the candidate countries, but generally tend to increase over time. Remittances and donor funds have also played an important role in agricultural and rural economy investments.

Akcja Oszczędnościowa i jej wpływ na reorganizację ustroju i zmianę kompetencji Prokuratorii Generalnej Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej w 1924 r.

Author(s): Marek Tkaczuk / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2007

Akumulacja pierwotna i czasowości kapitalizmu

Author(s): Joanna Bednarek / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 16/2015

The main thesis of the article is the statement that capitalism is composed of many different, incoherent temporalities, as well as that apprehension of capitalism from the angle of primitive accumulation enables the more accurate grasp of the modes of its functioning, including the complexity created by the interactions of the temporalities mentionned. The problem of primitive accumulation is, as Sandro Mezzadra proves, a good starting point for analysing this issue. It allows us to pose two questions: first, the question of the relation between the historical dimension and the structural logic of capitalism; second, the question of hierarchical relation between the center and the periphery of the capitalist system. Dipesh Chakrabarty’s project of ‘provincializing Europe’ proves helpful here, as it’s goal is deconstruction of the categories of progress, modernization and the capital with its abstract structure. The aim is not to negate the fact that capitalist abstraction is a real force, but to show that this force develops by means of constant assimiliation of the other – redefined as ‘backward’ or archaic. The linear scheme is in force, because it is the main mechanism of imposing the power of capital; as such, it is not politically neutral.