Onthe Transition to Socialism Paul M. Sweezy and Charles Bettelheim On the Transition to Socialism Tho probioms of counties which occupy an intermediate position between cartalsm and socalam are undoubtedly among the most Important in the modern world, The experince of te. Soviet Union have now Sean supplemented by thoss of Exslern Europe, North Korea ang North Vietnam, end perhaps mest Important (China and Cuba. A large tchnicalIteratur has grown up on the ‘sconamics of these tanaiional £00 lana concepts of the analysis have ‘wall as In thase pages. “The several atic of the discussion began in October 1968, whan Pavl M. Sweezy, co-editor of Monthly Raview, published an Atco onthe currant probloms of socaism. This ate lata an Teading idea po Debra Ses athe Schoo for Higher Stiles In Soll and 1 Spa oe sane ner) ve Loess ot ‘Despt dhere gna and mes of wit, the pecs in this book maintain unio pl. They ence the econo, sofa ‘poli spars of he stamp fo create & Tew soot ate {39/37 Motlena Steet. London, £0. 7, England {$198/90p + pa-101 (NR) MODERN READER rating «perc cen nefoch oiOn the Transition to Socialism by Paul M. Sweezy and Charles Bettelheim Second Edition, Enlarged New York and London(Copyvighc 1971 by Monthly Review Press Alt Rights Reserved “Caechostovakia, Capitals, and Social” copyright © 1968 by Monthly Review, Ines “On the Tramsivion Between Capitals 2nd Socialism’ copyright 1260 by Monthly Review, nes "Store ‘on the Society of Transition” copyright © 1090 by Monthly Review The: "Dictsorhip of the Proletariat, Social Clas, and Pole lavian Mealy" copyright 9 1971 by Monthly Review, Ines "Lee sons of Soviet Experience’ copyright © 167 by Monthly Review Ines "The Lewons of Poland copyright © 1971 by Monthly Re- view, Ines “The Transition to Socata” copyright © 71 by Monthly Review lnc; Towad a Program of Studie ofthe Tran sition to Socials” copyright ©1872 by Monthly Review. Ine {Library of Congres Catalog Card Number 72-1892 Fit Mosiern Reader Paperback Edition 171 Second Modern Reader Paperback Edition 1972 Monthly Review Press Ho Wea Hith Stee, New York, N.Y. 1008 58/37 Morelnd iret, London, 2 1 Manufacuted in he United Sates of Ameria Contents Foreword 1 BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM A Discusion by Paul M. Sweeay and Charles Bethe (Cacchodovakin Capitals, and Soca (On the Transition Between Capitalism and Socialism More on the Society of ‘Transition Dictatonhip of the Proletariat, Social Clases, ‘and Proletarian Ideology u SOME LESSONS OF RECENT HISTORY Four Esays from Monthly Review Lessons of Soviet Experience The Lesons of Poland The Transion to Socialism Toward Program of SuisForeword Par 1 of this collection compres an exchange of views lectween Chases etlicim and myself which, appeared in Monthly Review beginning in October 1960 and ending ia October 1971. All but the lat piece were published in French under the tte Letires sur quelquer problemes actuals du soca. lime, (Pass: Maspero, 1570) Pare IT contains two editorial articles from Monthly Rec wow and the text of a leeure Tdeivered in Healy in the spring of 197t, which was aso orginally published in Monihly Recrw ‘The first of the two ecitrial aril, onthe fine fity years of Soviet experience, appeared in November 1967 when’ Lea ‘Huberman and I were editors; the second dscusing the sgn cance of the worker uprising in Poland in December 1970, appeared in February 1971 when Hany Magdoff and were aditor, as we sll are. Since the magazine's inception the a tors have had an understanding that any collection of esas by sither of them may include unsigned editorial articles of 3p Dropriate subject matter. The purpowe i to make material ail able to readers in coaveniently usable Tort and’ does not an Sicate woe authorship, Paul M. Sweczy October 1971 Second Edition This edition is enlarged with che addition of "Toward a Prograan of Seudies of the Transition «Socialis. whieh it the text of paper T presented at senninar held in Santiago, Chile, in October 197 PMS,| Between Capitalism and SocialismCzechoslovakia, Capitalism, and Socialism by Paul M. Sweezy ‘The Rusians jusily thee invasion of Czechoslovakia on the grounds that a countenrevoltionary station was develop- ing and that if they had not intervened Czechoslovakia would have reverted to capitalism and joined the imperialist camp. This poston, including support forthe invasion, has aio been ‘espoused by some other elements of the international Left, notably by Fidel Casto speaking on behalf of the Cuban reve lationary leadership. Mest of the Left in the advanced capitalist countees, on the other hand, bas argued. what might almost be called the opposite thesis, that Catchosavakia was headed fora genuine form of democratic scala and thatthe Soviet Jmervetion had nothing to do with ether capitalism or socal ism bat was aimed at halting the proces of democratization Which was eonsiered a threat tothe authoritarian ule of the Communist Parties throughout the Baxtern European bie "The weakest part of the Rusian argument ie the conten- ion that 4 counterrevcusionary sation wae developing. On the conteary, the existing sjstem had been greatly sabiliaed land strengthened by the popular reforms of the past eight ‘months. These reforms were largely confined to the politcal fupenicueture of the mstem and did notin any way change its Tose character, What as thentening owas not a counter: This rile append in the Ober 1968 ie of Monty Reviewroolion ht » Gongs of he Chava Comma see a kane we ea dye Ma ee enpereh ey Cee ey ence et ea ng 1 tat nt eget tegiig oe a Mac a th sgn das oot etn Se gee dean pal Oe a pec cr ee Ta nt haces mtr tee A agar ale mee 8 rat ee ea sch ne ne ak sy ios and more he pli “he sone Martel tt sey ca Be ca ne ye pe in ee «Saath Sy tae he amp» rn ter Sa ee Cae pin Cacao a es ug he pty oes ay age te Pest Fn cap ye Uncut Se a a coe fan ere Seer iso pod: Tenis wal vt ng tt eng poten Se re pa oo hve ie eel roe ee cine Appope fusiel 1a Gey es atin Oe he sel se ad iy ly ae aye it kr png Nol wi teeny ae fe meee lt rte mere ah ved a si pn ocr ayn os mi! te oto a otis Petals Ea aad from pate capa, and enterprise the frm of so Senfior su datnpaied Son bedeteal entepesen Te ie SBoilonof apa a pte property whine Bounae ‘capitalist production itsel® my fe Pownce of 1 the old unamigions concep of individual private propery was aleady so grealy complicated by the sie ‘of the Eorporaton, ink how much tore complicated it today in the em of the UItiaUona copariion and masive vate crremifnbh a and Pa, fr can, tate Siva or through sate corporations owes ge roeron {tthe means of production ceraly ot rsae owen Yet fas certainly form of eaptat owner. And nly rewonable to amume that we mt expect sill other new ome of eapiatse owner in the future 1 tre that in Caechovakia the thee features mene one above ate far fom fully developed the stern il 4 iar of what often cle “mae cali" and the Hind of cea adnistrave planning which ad is orgie inthe Soviet Union during the Sah period and was Sapo to the oder Soc hve counties afer the Send ‘Werld War But what i important snot the exact compos hn ofthe pen iar but the TveGion With the pe ie toving, and Bee here ean e no GuBt (a) thatthe waht of the marke cements as Bon growing for at lest the st five years and (B) that one ofthe purposes of the Ierling te deigees i to eet. ed spre ie om {aa waite fet ute se sr ward captain, {iit od yb fi an oe ‘Waited Gates bat thoughout the ntemacenl Lat! Prope who" have (Sa, eb cme tts tan dea wa ppeamoce tsk, Mich fe ea of ene be id “ae the door af the Syrnceu sled saay oom eg, ee eerefoms of he It eight months at ben wo remove obaces to efter sucaning ofthe Cash economy ang make net Ie oo scdest tat ove of the mat prominent and inca fips a tk Inte pod han been Profeaor Ota Sik who wat rooted tothe pot of Deputy Premier inthe Dabedt regine: Netto the So coment bean, Sik i perhape the be known thewst Sod advcate of ae Soli and he wat the pial autor of te eonomie ftom progam sich was aed ad began o be baling inplanentel in 1964 Stet Yagi which ht gone mach oer tan tier can i he dieton of att scala, 8 to pave tha de me ok one want ee whee the ous adeped by Circoivain ed. "The cm tothe tavern gual aes bck othe alt wih he Cami fom in 1946 at re we have not Eve yeas but to deze of experience toler fram. So far oot mut adit Ghat iis cpa sme ad anal ‘er than elt ‘Scat comerparts who bave town thems ble tof port accra en Yogev deveopmens ado dra the etecry clan Here a dapat frm Belgrade which Spend onthe Banca page of the New York ines of ina oe Wee capital has pind an ior fst in Yugo sn Sh Sng a win wa eee sel an aut ‘Sing ue a ev nda ste ta Une eis Fat ean aso ps id Png Devoe of New Yr iy t SHRED’ hae cpt bth he vragen SEIS Rete in tl he cma dg of Commis sheep cma eo ad el tee acini ow ti conan ta ote lt bowel cher lnc of ase Eup usa igen er aces in he Eas wel a show Wy fl Ween capi’ Wen copa pera _RTSIRIG Sintec alana ne steno Salve ir Ewen Bape to fie the pres low ‘more iil there, and. apy captat ‘nit pep up heap Cre scomemy* Cen 8) NETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM , Following reforms that shied contol of enterprises trom the sg fe eon heey a tna ccs ofthe fee market andthe incentive of profis, Yagosacs — [remaenedao equalrevolnionary law's yar ago fo ate "Te Low di not come without song opposition fom thse feud tha Wee capital world Gna te hy scot “To guard agaist this, foreign capital is barved fom aqui wove than a 49 percent treat in0 Vago cateepse “Yugelay compares are contvlled by thr wre. hough worker councy whic, in turn, name « bard of profesional, seh Secunia predic ep 0 age th ‘At fit foreign companies were selacant to get involved because the minonty Stake, they Tele, would nt git thom aay“ Set‘ ner irvine ® ° \feninars run for Wester usinessnen here, Yusulay of ficial have teen at pain to pont out that ways can be fund arcane tht or ean by vein nt foreign near car ‘The free pried to ner profs out of the country provided thy hegp 2 percent on dept with Yogean Bani hy an ll he tae fo oe eign expan po Vided they’ tin oer to sl ie back to the Vga compery “rie lar has produced some emma real = Fat which upping the technology ad mos ofthe equp- iment for 2 big Soviet auto plan, put $10 milion ino 2 Yoga fermpany, Cron Zastava Red lag) ha makes Pat cats ander nT, Attn company, according pubis information bere has gone ino a joint ventre with Beograd Graft Zac (eae Grint Ping Cpa) todo eb pe ig using eect Ta, new rosea cient fred Be ried Se " ™ (Of course it may be sid that allthis relates to Yugoslavia and that it does't prove that Caechosovakia is headed in the same direction. ‘Trae enough: it would undoubtedly be ime posible to prove i tothe satisfaction of someone who is wedded to another view. The problem of analyzing wcial reality is ale ways complicated by the fact that new developments which are on the way to becoming predominant are from small be: ssonings which cam be ignored or pooh-pooked by anyone who shoores to do so All one can say is that Caceheovakia has' ON THE TRANSITION To SOCIALISM seady taken more than a few steps along the oad pioneered by the Yogosiave and in the monthe before the invasion gave fever indication of moving faster in the same direction. Already Sonne deals with foreign companies to bud plants in Czecho Sovakia had been negotiated. (for example, according to Bur fest Week of August Sst, ENI, the tls ol tru, building 2 chemical factory in Czeeheslovaki); 0 many foreign bus- fesonen were flocking to Prague that at least one hotel was Practically reserved for thee occupancy; and insstent, and pparently well founded, stories circulated both in Prague and in Western financial centes that a $500emillon foam. was in the works to enable the Crechs to import the latest technology land equipment from the West. Maybe allthis i of 0 sige Tifcance; or maybe the consequences of relying on the market nd developing increasingly intimate relations with expitalist Countries would be different in Crechodbovakia from what they fhave been in Yugoslavia. Maybe, but T have yet to see ase fs argutnentsvpporting aay such conclusions “should be emplasued here that there is no implication thatthe Grech relormers—or even the Yagosavs for that mat- ter-are consioly moving toward capitalism, or that they ve being hypocritical and sincere when they say that they fre working to achieve democratic socials. Marxism teaches jas not to Jue people By thi nent bby ther acs aed the probable cansequences ef their acts The contention |S that wioever acts to strengthen the market instead of struge ‘ling agains the markt is, regardless of intentions, promoting Capital and not socialisn.* Does i follow that because Cecchosovakla. was moving toward capitalism, this was the reason forthe Soviet interven tion? Absolutely not. The truth ie that the whole Easter European blo, incuding-the Soviet Union, has been and i ‘Siig pitched in ihe Soret Union lo the i-9000 and ecm EET ae Baath eatin (Overt Unverty Pros, 88). Probraenly watt nena he Le Option toda le a he ite Wag nese fn "Peet Ponty Rec, Vet 18 Ne BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM , moving inthe same drction a Yugoavia and Caechodovaki. “his i the real meaning of the scons flor movement whic, in varying dees and at varying speedy har Involved very member of the Boe” Evenwher, thetld sn af ‘uct can wasn neg ice iss Mass apt, faring protic onic agaton ice and eter sympon of impending cris were Wale throughout the region There were two posible response One would have been a elturl revolution i he specif ene ht the Chinese have give to thet term an alot campaign to rouse the masses, eevate the genta level of ple com. ‘iouses, to revitalize solids to ge inecsing te Silty tothe producem themselves a al eves of coon. making: The ober response was tory inten on the i Sine of the marker and the incentive of profit. Yor reson hich reach far back ito the hiory of the Soviet Union and the: Communit movement there wat to" oey no Pars BD up capable of making the fit reponse The cond ene Was therefore adopted, not beets the bufeaucracis had sy love forthe capita metods bt baie they could sen ther way © preserve er gower and piveges The pice they Sut ayy Wet ey kw i or ok whether they The io ‘to put thir countries on the fond back to eset caplaitmoeen Tn his speech of August 23rd onthe invasion of Crzcho- ova, Fidel Ca, rforing to anal in Prod, al 1 reads as follows: “The CPSU is constantly perfecting the se, the forma, andthe methods othe contucon of the pay tnd the state Tes same work ie beng cried aut in eter seal {Spe a egal proces ted on the fda of the But this statement is very intereting. Ie ys: “Unfortunate 1y, daeanions concerning ecotonie relopm im Cecchevalia de eloped om another bas, That dicusion stated, om the ome ri afoul a global criti ofall developmen. peooeding om the scat economy and, onthe otter, afound we propos Teplace the principle f planing with spontaneous mereanle ‘elation, granting Broad fla of onto poate capital Docs this, by chance, anean that the Soviet Union is abo ing to eur cerain current tn the fed ef economy that areass on, eran tn favor of ping increasingly ete enh i in re emt cro iprtany thaw ony an Fao a rece ban decane the dry othe the A cis Dl that aren’ oes era that sar 8 2 pecoming amare of the ated to al the the See yfre than one ale the impea,rom ha Fee a cares tats cst ihn Ge Sov Sn T dare ey that Fidel knows aswell as anyoie ele that Pract see was intended to score 2. point and nett Perec anarental change in Soviet paiy. The fact that Tafetaent borecrace of the Soviet oc have ted the we Gor cenated planing they can conceive af and Bane pe i or me trea exci wa Pte They have no aleve Dut to um once agxin ttehdttes ofeaptatian, And ns dong they have entered {ee meson re whi, however Tog the fourey, has ony ‘ne dexinaion ‘Noth Soviet invasion of Gzechslvakia wasnt intended to cu the dt to capitan, That proceed in bth count BAPSGn coon ules or tnt something far more drs Zee than vera refoom program ofthe Kind tht as een oa Wy in Carchoevelia these Ist ght rants, What the wr a the Soviet Union feaed-and bad every reson {0 {Sse two threats ne to ther personal inter andthe {SR tthe meres ofthe national rung stratum which they “The threat to thelr penomal interests was simple, The iteral cforms in Cnchoovakia were extemal popular in {hat cout atd for obvious reso TF you have een bet ie pbon fra lng tine our fis bjecie is o get ont, not ree the mem. Tat was eset the dtustion of the GNEE ak popes they wanted mt of al to ge out of Soon and that meant geting td of the Novotny regime with Uh rprenive ad repugnant features They suceeded wth fematable eae, The Communit Party turned otto Be fi ‘Shinayreaponcve to he popular moad; the oldie Fadersip Kas cnaght unawares ai wept ost of power without exeh Ting ble o put up a sage. To the ules of the Soviet Usion and the other ble counts, whee people ae alin prison (and in the asf te Sve Unio have been hee Thich fg), this cond not but ea tering eample T Novotny sh company coil be uncremoniuly Sake ot 2 could they. From thir pit of sie ews thee e “etl ot oniy to then up conte ther ose Bat show that Grchooaki could nee getaway with afer All From ther pint of ew, shit conser lbne as probaly ouch oily the brain Butcher wat am aed reson which pac affected she Soviet ese sccpying dae the damian pa ton Inthe bic a4 whe. Wi the growing Importance of ‘he market throughout the region, the magnetic Torce of the °“f snore powers mart economies ef the Wel aly grows Once pita ly a he pt and nie Fee elevated to the sats of tpene vals, managers inevitably sive for closet association with those whe ave mort, svanced-and-paien puing ths alte ino racice ‘The demand for more trade, more technelogy, more finance, and finally more investment from the advanced capitalit cour. tres is bound to increase Yugelavin shows this proces with tsyital carity—and ako how it leads to the weaker county falling increaingly under the domination of the stronger. In seme blo a a wie, iat we ae talking abot hee every poweul cena Tors wich, 1 uneected, wil real ian aeeerting proces of ilneeton. For the aig eau ine Soviet Un eC, represents a set danger The lochs ben structaredcconomal, pala, and mitt eve ie group and wana inter, Coho. Slovakia and East Germany, Yr exaple trative) advanced ndusal repos, have been snged economic Tk which are tsiored tothe nerds of the Soviet economy, (To what etent Chee relationships are ako exlotative & inportant but at tru to the prole with which we are prs conered) Ad i's obs that the Soviet leadership cones theo Sinuation in force ofthe Wars Pact tobe een toi inary mers Under ee cence ey fo une erst why the men in the Keen ae prepared to we whaver means may be necesary 40 ld the Boe together And ‘Sie ther combined conic sn plital power is being “Honanycooded and iyo longer suffieat to do the jo, thoy hae fc ged to have sco to naked armed ore In the final ana, the, the invasion of Czechodovakin was Aig of Soviet weskns in the face of & rowing cst Joie oe ata whales Can it svected? Tn the short run Tbe. Liberataton in Ctcchoovala as been lowed own and may be hed hogeter fora whl the eentifazal foes tending tr ditegrate the blo have berm checked. Bat_ Iehe Tonge ran. mitary force ety Sapa of coping irik conse aT BAUS). pels, Te was thee problems Far iought onthe eis, and they wil just as suey ring em new a geser ecb i the fare In the mesntine, orthodox Moscow-oriented Commaniam tas suffered distr fom which fe may never recover, AS TE S'Buwope concerned, 9 eter received he ther day from fll Asan fend srnmed yp the eatin very well ave belonged you dot know oe al nity of tl wing socialists who could not bring corsets fo cut ‘their “Lovee eel plea) fo te lio” Ronin eee ctes meh, eye ction pasate Paral acura heed Lenn wads cul cme foe tld be folih maintain sch hopes tg, Yer day Hino Phe ain ileal inthe Ree) called aber Eas Gere inl tam ie nen the Krein si Fares wife able to hed Fathers adhe I they do REALE eine, Tae slow bor etn extinction If this assent ie accurate, the Czech crisis marks the begining of the end of Moscow's politcal and. idecogial influence fn the advanced eapitalist countries. Either the. Cor Munist Paes secopnie it and try to adjust to it of they g ‘under, Given thee histories, tie doubifal_whether they can succesfully adjust, But either way, the era of Momow-eient- ‘on is neasing the end Outside the advanced eapitait world the impact will be Jew dramatic~but only because there the orthodox, Commstist Parties have long been withering away, and new revolutionary forces looking for inspiration to China or (in Latin Ameria) to Cuba have come tothe fore ‘As far as Cuba is concemed, Fidel’ speech condoning the invasion wil hanily enhance the presige of the Cuban Revolution, However, it must be sid that itis by no mean fie to jodge the speech by that part alone. Most of three and a half newspaper pages i€ took up in Granma (Avavt 25) were devoted to a shrewd and biting etique ofthe kind ‘af socal practiced in Easter Europe, and a eastigaton of Soviet world polices For the rest, Cuba willbe jaded inthe international revolutionary movement lew by what its leaders say than by what polices they put info practice inside and fuside Cuba. And in this respect their record has been and fontinues to be remarkably good for a small county, relatively isolated and subjected tothe full wight of a vilous imperialist, blockade, Finally, it may well um out thatthe bigest gainer from le Cazchanovak er wil be China. which denounced he invasion as it deserved to be denounced without falling into the naive of the theory which saw Czechodvakia as headed for some kind of a democratic socalt utopia, There is much in (China's analysis ofthe current interaional scene which MoniAly Review has never been able to accept—ey the treatment of the Soviet Union's course in world affairs a though it wore the sole responsibility of “revsonist renegade clique” rather than the product of five decades of Soviet history, and the labeling fall the counties af the Soviet bloc at already flly capitalist rather than scitie in tranition toward capitalism: these are typical Chinese error which often lead to wrong estimates and ‘conclusions. Nevertels, in the Caechoslovak case, the Chinese snalys, a expounded for example by Commentator (generally ‘hough to be a high official of the Chinese Communist Party) in the People's Daly of August 29rd is clear and to the point: ‘That the Soviet sevinist renegade clique has flagrantly set ' motion is arte forces fr the outcome of the extenay acute CCnitadietions atone whole medern evn bse Tt Oe rent of the tazeely acute centrations between United State Innperatnm and’ Soviet modem toviionian in tek srugle forent of Eager Hap, I i the oc, of te aarti ‘etween the United Sate and the ‘Sovie Union in ther vain ienpt to redide the word, Fors lon tone there have eed Drfound’ contradictions and bier wife betwen the Soviet te Mott egade cig So dhe svn cg oh axa aropean countries. The Khrishthr reviiont renegade clghe ver nce i ne to power, ha ot shamefly sae toe Cy {ES ater another wt United States imperiatan. Folowing the Srample of the Soviet terkonns, the Canchodlnak evant enya cigue want to (alow in thet footsteps, throwing the ‘She into the fp of United Staten imperil However, the oe revi regard Banter Burope a9 their wn ahte of “Fnfoence aed forbid the Gasdualovak revisor to have det Collaboration with United Stes impevalam. (Hann ela, Regu 23) ‘The workd revolutionary movement, especially in the une erdeveloped countries, i more likely to be impresed with the truthe of this statement than with its exaggerations. Afterall, to convey the truth it may sometimes be necesary to exagEeate On the Transition Between Capitalism and Socialism by Charles Bettelheim 1 cad with ret interest your article on “Ceechavaki, Capitals and Seilam” Tcontuns many import and ae curate satcments—eapeialy towel which You ay atthe Corch reforms were srngthening. the exstng tem and ste the fact that what was involved. waa a ew sep along the fond of capitals (jou say: “in the diveon Bt ce inlisn”). "Your denunciation of the confain af. “jrdiel Categories” with “real relions of production” is simiry | an indispensable corecton This apples equally to your vem hat capitalist ownership fe not neces “private” ownerhip (oenonally, think tha ¢ may be more appropriate ints coe tex to speak of “individual” ownenbipy ice capa owner ‘hip a8 il relationship i always “private” omperhip thst 14 chseven IF anes a "soci jr! form: Tink that when Mary seas of "the alin of capitals prvte Property within the boundaes of capi preduction el, tis target precy “private” owner tn ie dial es), Some of your conclusions also ste me as very comet, pare Cally your statement hat in thefinl analyst fveion of Caechonovakin wat sign of Soviet weakness inthe face of ‘owing crn the blo as a whole” ‘Your ance, however, ako contains elaborations which serie meas eroncous and which T would like to dsc. Tshall imit myzef to two base problem: (1) the problem of the ‘ature of socialism, and (2) the problem sf the roots of the“ ON THE TRANSITION TO SOCIALISM trends toward the restoration of capitalism (hence, ofthe origin Of this restoration where it has already clearly taken place, as in Yogelavia) begin withthe second point. ‘Your thes seems exentaly the fllowing: the trend toward the restoration of eaptali ha ts “origin” inthe roe attributed to the market, in the relance on material incentioes, and in rcanistond forms (what you, on P- 4 above, call contol of nterprises "inthe enterprises theses”), T think, however, that thie fit only designates “secondary fact"—indices or rene, and nt the decive fete. ‘In my opinion the decisive factor—ie. the dominant factor isnot economic bat political "This decsiv political factor (the importance of which you ‘unfortunately appear to deny in the ast pages of your article) enuf from the fact thatthe proletariat (Soviet or Czech) Aas Tost is power to a new bourgeoisie, with the reat that the revionist leadership ofthe Communist Paty ofthe Soviet Union Js Yoday the instrument of this new bourgeoisie Tis imposible to explain the invasion of Czechodovais, the intematonal politcal line of the USSR (the character of i felations withthe United States and with China), or the “re- forms” and the results toward which they tend (the fall develop- rent of the "market," and the economic, poliesl, and ideolog Feal domination over the mascs made passble by market forms), tunes it i recognized that the peletariat is no longer in power. "To ist asthe primary factors you do—not cas relations (che existence of & boargenise which “collectively” owns the means of production) but mart relation is duct seems to me, {oan error in principle and leads to a number of other error. "the error in principle isthe very one you denounce at the cd of te note on p. 5 above; there you say that in order {o understand the nature of a mode of production (or of secial formation), “one must dig deep below the surface to wn- ‘over underlying relationships and process” But to put empha- fron the existence of a “market” (and therefore alo on the ‘cistence of money and prices) in defining the nature of wcial AETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SoctALISM ” on, meee opt emps on he fc, on seat“ emcee Sie fo gin wi anlar weg Hey wa evel of production, i.c., at the level of basic social ‘cnt 1s he eno a ee at pre ted {fect (commis pa seoge) oe ese ‘icon, On of thee eae eects may be dane the ene into soil clases and place thee clas In determined oboe relationships (of domination, exploitation, etc.). mes cic (ecommi pea sg) oe apni and pray of he pal laden ean Be uncer ly imo pa ey spy tn re The ain ple—ping emphasis on sce phe nomenon the ac anna ay iy [BE ete th bree Puen Cpe Se Shek it in all th socials count), tnd onthe pace of the leadership with rept to the “are” (a proces wep ‘cisely should be explained )—leads inevitably to other cm ‘The mos sere of tha ie the nature of socialism; T shall therefore deal at seve og ‘al ew of our online SO eet Fe ou very correctly conde the we of the term ak socialism,” but your reasons for this condemnation svike ne as theoretically inadequate, OS condeonation she me Ie concct to rondemn the use of the tem ant we of the term “na seca hy wei ces eae empha on the exten of mare forms i sit sey. H's here i ‘this term reveals its ideological character; it "adit olgy which favors constable development a wake Soje% aereel ou wl fom thane "mowy pekan, ee rie ca waa Sat wc ania ae ae ‘Geen whch te mane Content doce (Oat revealing” the” (ON THE TRANSITION TO SOCIALISM eatin when infact sac a devopnent (wih is ae ‘ont he domination of bourgece) lads to the ful rexonton of expan. jour eon are of ferent mature Ba errands you denoutce no the deepen, be 0 ein ah reli Bat the very 6 end Sauk ron; moreover you late tk ao tcc daregard the rc and pail condton ee et dendopnet of markt tosh hich mk oy erat a epee” stata to te orm se Yo ee thot reference tothe condtns without which Pte to give a sdeverpon of he dian ihr neve 1 epst the statement I have made Te Se co pant rvleged sat t9 stony fc, 8 ca et, ad obacure what is esentil and primary: the ‘ase socal relationships the clas elatonships. ‘Gn the other hand—and this follows from the preceding ‘pointyour argent, in my opinion, rests on an important rem satuy tat the fen "mart soci” “com: a Puma ts obvi not an aurea since all train Tracy. ‘The only problem then 0 know eB pe eral expresion ofa reality and of the contradic: dees Chace it i adequate or not—ie whee: fons wth don are enajed tm enc tere oF onl ‘own in esol erm. " TWh ptt to te contradiction which fons te sublet fd dnaslon an which you degnate as one which astumes ser enundiction between “plan” and "markt." the th fom hha contain in peace fates that 5 eft Oo condicton nor an “elo on Tate ine se of» contain bent tein se escent ef cai), Dt ha I expres ie ane leo el and elective contradiction ‘scorer and 1 beieve that ere ls the root of car Morne ontadicion "plan”markt™ designates 20 See Shaon sn tlm vewed asa trnstionl ot SESE Sins comadeon the mfr fet cased by Pere rion, by the base cotadicon ie (an- BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM ” toa frm which is obviouly stated at he Heo te fimo iid pte oat GStce entndton Incest eal couse ba etn ner be eely Sami eel ‘productive forces. Pe Hatem and th Fie ig eae nan wer ” and “plan” will continue throughout the transition from ‘capitalism to communism, she ‘Win eharcre cien oppe to ait ot ch yararie ges) th eee ee nomagene of are oon hee, and pew, but te eee of te domination of the proletariat, of the dictatorship of the pro leant, Ts toh he ee of tis dos treet plea ht mare er can i opened y mete een tease tore “dao Societe pall a dd pia tis Whe re lacing, the nt polars ie hd ee oped ee el a peo) "The pn fae” an inane” ain {he “immediate baton ort oa lay nal? traction) of the period otras wtih comes, te Det ef thet saan The ta ef te clan atthe feel forms (he deve at eel ef mae To) ‘ane of he ‘rolution of social relationships, but its no more than an index. To lt” ona is nde ita Saco eve tea ft cotadio tha dein th cron aay Doki ih as aud we maya be foe io Mine we lel arn on Cork ee igus that in re fo te ree Satanic mo undetol(ond pest)» ON THE TRANSITION To SOCIALISM 1 “itr” forth imate im x the compete einination 3 mart tao; tere can be no doubt tht this full only with the daappearance ofthe sat, and this can EeSiced ony rough ie exablsbment of comznizn ot Sve ale Tin the Soviet Union the reoration of bourgeois emia toa i acompniet by a exten he rl of te ae, {Rb & cotnly becate Ds doninalon canmot be comple /CSeconpltes”) ey through tefl otrton of markt {nore ti i meow the reson why this rsorton {an be undettood cay ar an fst, at a secondary pheneneno, hd not an» primary phenomenon “other ror (ld er tandomaton” of he preceding ), it seems to : js the assertion that the existence of the one), ems tome i he "ate “Make plan condo’ een mpeg oc nding the eterton of capa (hs aed in your note ced ove Teeth el of ams hs cone atm imeling force ein toward anvting. Beeything depends om tie manner fe whieh Wi del ih, aod ha manner depends {en on clon rations ining hve eng the esegeal ie 1 wih to add that T conser i wef to prot thee cvcana becaue the formlaons you advance” and which Jou are no ane in atvancing (ey ave found cecal in Uieaqeeches ef Tiel nthe wring of Che) rea objectively “in producing effects of ideological obscurantism. Tos fan ns tse probe of sac tol power ie dle of whe under cern cote ‘icons may ce regu a1 bave Teale eater, ees ch the econ font (cg the NEP). It your formulations tree ber leally Leni, in favoring tbe NEP iy i “Mfengiering the mance" sipenedly “promoted capitan “he ler of clea ebcuratin stemming fom the toa cite mons el pret yor SSulus ofthe “como clo” Reading ths aaliy one fas the impresion that at the time they decided on these ‘eon, We Sones ladon supply tid ave made BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM u "choice" between two “techniques”: “One would have been cultural revolution in the specific sense that the Chine have fiven to that term... The other response wat to ely increas inal on the discipline of the market and the incentive of profit 9 above) ‘But what is involved here isnot a “choice” between two technique that would enable the economy to “progres” but line of demarcation between two politeal courses, between two cases ‘To be sur, the problem that remains to be solved on the historical toe! is that of the concrete proces ‘which made posible the reconstitution in the Soviet Union of &. powerful bourgeois clas and its acceson to political power The Twentieth Congress as 8 matter of fact could not have had its particular content or effets if there had not already existed socal relation. ships unfavorable to the dictatonip of the proletariat. Tas bo a good indication of the fact that the development of these social relationships was not “determined” by the development of the market, bat on the contrary was anterior to it ‘On the theoretical level, on the other hand (and here too 1 find myself in disagreement with your article), the declarations of the Communist Party of China conceming the Cultural Revolution, its objectives and methods clearly ducdate the ideological and political conditions that must be reaized before the threat ofa bourgesis resoraton can be succesfully oppened. ‘These declarations, to be sure, are not only theoretical; they contain alto numerous concrete disasions of the concrete ‘conditions in China. These declarations therefore cannot be ap. plied” mechanically, but their theoretical core has univerad Yale 1 will add that in given historical czcomstances the elfect ot ideclgial obscura mentioned eater i increased through an ffect of displacement. Thi octurs whe the ieclogical Pations which provoke this efeet of obwcarantsms “eed” Poltisal practice: Such, Y think, i ie cae of the politcal Practice of the Catan leadership (which I consider it necessary to dacs briefly at this point). 1f this leadership attaches so much “importance” to probe2 ON THE TRANSITION TO SOCIALISM lems of market reationshipe—to the point of making them the “center” of its ideological conception aad politcal’ practce— this cannot be the resale only of a subjecive “error.” In my ‘opinion, this isthe effec of an ideology anda political ine which Concentrate all power in the hands ofa ruling group, and which therefore do. not create the necesary conditions ideological, ‘organizational, and poieal—for the democratic exercise of proletarian power. ‘On the one hand, this political practice has a class ig nificance which eannot be analyzed Tere; Tshall axon that it i related to political domination by a “radicalized” section of the petty bourgeois. On the other hand, it produces necesery contequencer ie, consequences that force themselves of neces tity on a government that “appeal to socialism ‘One of these consequences is precisely an ideological dis Placement: the identification of socialism not with th dictator ‘hip of the proletanat (eorsequendly with the power of the laboring mass, with the domination of the Marxist-Lesinist ideology, withthe practice bythe revolutionary leadership of a sass line, et.) but with the “disappearance” of market rela- onsips.| "This “disappearan idenly purely mythical for it cannot take place under The given concrete conditions which include of necenity the exitence of money and prices, so that the fact of “denying” this existence leads tothe opposite of the desired aim—notably to the development ofa black market. In site of speeches and represion, the effects of real relationships albvays end by imposing themselves. "The subuitution of the myth of the “diappearance” of the market, money, ete, for the necesnry ditatomhip of the pro- Ietariat obviously involves @ politcal Hinz—a line corresponding to prec socal forces and a precise ideology. "The speccher of the Cuban leadesship,* especially Fide’s pI nn sum mt ea en wah mace athe wposchy comegeesty beyond i manfer BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM a speech of August 23, 1968, confirm this: what the Cuban leaders “aici” in the developments which took place in the Sovet Union and the Waraw Pact countries is not the restoration of a bourgeois dictatorship, or even the absence of proletarian Gemocrucy and a mas ine, but only certain effets of las dination which pect, remain unmentioned ie et han adi ae 9, hc (ough fs “abe ios cali) poet ie Sg foul ata monet (eet of Aaa 25 80, ck Sealy pole tush ven ied etning. oir Wil Tasng the tandard a yg a the of cea of ee py a he cai Sneten Ta Ste foo et tor the intend by te lnc ean nto os ay aesepal or Salter ere outing te Cs“Toe effects ae pot mentioned because the Cuban leaders hema do nT 6 te he te i SEGgSuate i ipastlefer hr crcl role sen 0 See gw then, In tier oe he icatrp of che Beats anured™ by the exsene of cen “ors” Pea jr form of ownenip, = cevain gaiational Hee elke Parga een form of expreion, ce) and not Iyeonert nel and plteal retinas. TUT ave ited om emphasing the elo ets of the central role which Jou tbe tothe “market/pla™ cone isn detente he fat of grating mach ara to tis CGnadtion (which no more an a eoneadccon atthe CEE oem) make pos, in ideaoialreprerenation, for ths Contradiction to seeupy the place occupied, in Mars rips Oy the fundamental bowgeieproleteratconredi~ ‘Under given political conditions, this displacement alo makes it posible t0 mask the real problems of the transition from capitalism to socal, since these problems involve above Al the development of the proetariat-bourgeosie contradiction, ‘This “displacement” consequently produces at ope and the sme time ideological eects and plea! effets. Translated by Fred Ehvenfeld AReply by Paul M. Sweezy tea stat Tena asa ra Nagy ee ae ‘but on which there are very few studies.”* " = re ee a ia ig mE aa onstitute ‘the beginning of a new critical reflection oa irl tae uy ural ena eat Shea een AN pe ah de oe elec LS eta es ln paren deh ae ear neve Terns of capital, notably to tae caine» ON THE TRANSITION To SOCIALISM “That this presi exits appears progresivey in the course of tor caper cich flowy but efor mae te eet of a cert Palio before Chapter 6 [els athe bool and Seen tn ogy ely fests ech Sl Par Vhat are called chapters in the book are all previously publaed esays, and thir arrangements roughly chronological, oneing the years 1964-1967, with the st (Chapter 6) having erm waten more than a year after any of the others (both Chapter 6 and the preface are. dated August 1967). From thea facts seems thet we cam deduce that up to a few years $eo"netedhcim sil held what T think can be called the tradi GSeat Marsist view that the transition fom capital to Salem ie a oneway sect. By 1967 he had altered this to Slow the pouty of a reeresion to capitalism, And by the _ tnd of 1960 (the above citque is dated December 15), be Stes without qualification that a new Dourgeoe is in power ithe Sovet Unionale in Coschadorakin and by implica- {lon in the other Wars Pact countres—and that “the Com- Imunst Party ofthe Soviet Union i the instrument of this new Bourgeisie”" What was considered posbiiy in 1967 is thus judged fat accompll in 1968, Tet me hasten toad that in teacing this evolution of Bt teheim's poston on the character of the trantion period,