Socialism and Kornai’s revolutionary perspective

Mehrdad Vahabi

Public Choice, 2021, vol. 187, issue 1, No 5, 37-54

Abstract: Abstract In this paper, I argue that the principal message of Janos Kornai’s work was to underscore that the dysfunctional properties of socialism are endemic and systemic, and cannot be “reformed”. In a sense, Kornai’s role was similar to the French Encyclopedists in preparing the ground for France’s 1789 revolution. Kornai’s intellectual contribution was to formulate a revolutionary discourse emphasizing the sterility of half-measure, cosmetic changes, and reform packages. His conclusion was based on two foundations: (1) the unity or what Kornai calls the ‘coherence’ of socialism as a system, and (2) rejection of market socialism as hopelessly confused. Accordingly, reforms would introduce inconsistencies at best, without solving socialism’s chronic problems. Moreover, the inconsistences of the half-measures would erode socialist systems, inevitably leading to revolution. This paper will examine Kornai’s two tenets of revolutionary discourse and his final conclusion in light of Hungarian economic reforms that started on January 1, 1968.

Keywords: Classical socialism; Market socialism; Reform socialism; Revolution; Socialist institutions; System paradigm; Transformation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B31 B51 B52 B53 D50 E11 E14 H82 P2 P3 P4 P5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11127-019-00720-5

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