Socialism: An Analysis of its Past and Future

By Erzsébet Szalai

In this short, but rich piece of work, Erzsébet Szalai offers a neo-socialist alternative to socialism (i.e. communist ruled state-socialism) and neo-capitalism. Drawing upon the fertile tradition of left-wing Hungarian Social Sciences, she offers her own theory of transitional society, suggesting that socialism was not an independent formation, but instead a society in transition. She relocates soviet-type societies on the semi-periphery of the capitalist world system. In addition she offers a critique of capitalism that pivots on the two connected issues of over production and ecological crisis. She makes the distinction between an anti-globalism critique and a globalization critique, locating herself in the latter. This work offers readers the opportunity to engage in a critique of capitalism that is organized along a new understanding of socialism itself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Central European University Press
• Release date: Oct 15, 2005
• ISBN: 9786155053818

Erzsébet Szalai

Erzsébet Szalai is Professor of Sociology at the Institute of Political Science of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. 

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