Category Archives: Former issues

Former issues

No. 91 | (Autumn 2011)

This issue of Eszmélet addresses two main topics. The first is the critical evaluation of the basic principles of the world-systems analysis of Wallerstein. Contributors show that the great advantage of this analysis is the better than ever before understanding of the working of the global capital system. Nevertheless, its main problem among others is its lack of explanation of the changing social forms and the relative underdevelopment of historical dimensions. The second topic is the examination of the working class, the labour movement and workers as they are from Portugal to Hungary and from 1974-1975 to 1989-1990. This block of articles is published in the memory of Mark Pittaway, a historian and friend, who died too young. The debate over synthetic biology is carried further by two of our younger editors, questioning the borders of the "techno-science".  In addition, a study on Hieronymus Bosh reveals, of course with clear association to the present, how art reflects the cataclysmic transition from a dying society to a nascent one, which itself is a nightmare turned real…

Table of contents
  1. Szergej Jermolajev, Szergej Szolovjov : Immanuel Wallerstein: the myth of historical capitalism
  2. Szentes Tamás : Thoughts about the system based approach, interpreting systems and system changes
  3. Artner Annamária : A no-bush has no flower
  4. Szigeti Péter : The world-systems theory: arguments and problems
  5. Krausz Tamás : What was “left out” from the theory of Wallerstein – Some reflections
  6. Alan Woods : Hieronymus Bosch and the art of the death agony of feudalism
  7. Bartha Eszter : Workers in state socialism: living standard, politics and legitimacy – Introductory notes
  8. Michael Burawoy : The third great transformation: Riding Polanyi into the future
  9. Nagy Éva Katalin : Workers councils in 1989 – The question of workers’ ownership in the process of the system change
  10. Bartha Eszter : Mark David Pittaway, 1972-2010
  11. Raquel Varela : Nationalizations: workers control or salvation of capitalism? – Case study on the nationalizations during the Portuguese revolution of 1974-75
  12. Tütő László : Was Lenin a hacker?
  13. Szalai László : Crisis management in cold war conditions
  14. Koltai Mihály Bence : Some words about synthetic biology – answer to Ádám Fülöp’s article “Generation I
  15. Fülöp Ádám : Games – without borders?
Former issues

The world-systems theory: arguments and problems

The author looks at the world-systems analysis as a recent, up-to-date and adequate form of the Marx rooted critical social theory – contrary to Wallerstein himself, who regards his attempts as establishing a new and interdisciplinary science, although in its direct factors of emergence giving credits to elements of the Marxian tradition. The world-systems analysis, nevertheless offers a fruitful and rich insight, with several players, which can be tested against reality.
Former issues

Thoughts about the system based approach, interpreting systems and system changes

"There was no way for me to disagree, and I still fully agree that the world economy should be interpreted as an organic system, which produces uneven and even polarising development, since I myself also explained the gap in international development in the context of the historic development of the world economy. But there was no way for me not to criticise the absolute and exclusive interpretation of the world systems analysis of Wallerstein […] and the explanation of the emergence of the capitalist market economy by a historic accident: by a certain unlash of the creative forces of the ruling elite, […] or rooting unequal exchange in monopolisation and making it the main form of international exploitation, and the idea that running out pre-capitalist reserves will finally limit the global accumulation of capital."
Former issues

A no-bush has no flower

In its critique, the essay points out the wrong approach of the theory by Wallerstein, illustrating it by the example of looking at the causes of falling profit rates, making the critique practical. According to the author, Wallerstein over emphasizes the role of cognitive factors by analysing world systems separately. It dissolves human history as it is and by neglecting the labour theory of value it does not provide a valid and practical solution for explaining falling profit rates.
Former issues

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.