The esoteric framework of the critique on biotechnology and the generalisations stemming from it are problematic, writes the author. It is not clear, how the most promising biotechnology research could be banned en block on subjective ideological preferences, denying several possible practical advantages delivered even in a capitalist economy.
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What was “left out” from the theory of Wallerstein – Some reflections
The theory of Wallerstein, writes the author, is one of the progressive anti-capitalist/ anti-systemic theories, which analyse the hierarchical structure and antagonistic contradictions of the capitalism, interpreted as a world system, at the highest scholarly level. At the same time, the inherent contradictions of this theory cannot be hided. It missed to develop a theory of social forms, that can be found at Marx, and says little about the historic features of the soviet and state socialist development and has not really integrated them into the theory. Nevertheless, the theory of Wallerstein is open and can be developed further with a critical angle.
Games – without borders?
It does not matter where virtual realities begin but the actual question is who can define the end of them? Is a state or the civic society able to limit a development, which has its legitimisation by itself only? What is the future, what the techno-science with a messianic self image brings? Do we have an alternative at all?
Immanuel Wallerstein: the myth of historical capitalism
The study is a critical evaluation of Wallerstein's theory on "historical capitalism": drawing general theoretical conclusions especially on changing social forms and demanding a stricter class based approach. In the countries of the former "Eastern Block", the world-systems analysis is more useful in sociology and in historical science than the trendy theoretical tools, which replace the backward looking soviet "historical materialism", like the "civilization" based approach, the "clash of civilisations" or even fully desisting theories. It is time for social scholars in East Europe to read the inspiring sources of Wallerstein, namely the works of Latin American and African authors of the dependence school.
Was Lenin a hacker?
According to Mckenzie Wark's A Hacker Manifesto, which sometimes called Communist Manifesto 2.0, controllers of information production and information distribution have taken the power from traditional capitalists over the whole system. The article evaluates the merits and limitations of the book.