New Paper Posted: Central Planning Versus Markets Marxism: Their Differences and Consequences for the International Ordering of State, Law, Politics, and Economy

(Pix © Larry Catá Backer 2016)

In the 21st Century, the ideology of globalization, in its domestic and international components have served to frame the conceptual universe within which law, politics, economics and society are understood. But that ideology also masks some sometimes substantial differences in the ways in which states approach these issues from their own ideological home bases. And indeed, may ignore the way that these ideological sub structures may produce meaning substantially at variance with "common understanding" elsewhere. This is most sharply presented when considering the integration of Marxist Leninist systems within the global order. Even when Westerners are moved to consider the ideological lens through which such participation is made by Asian Marxist Leninist states, it is not taken seriously, as the lenses of pragmatism and "rational acting" along classical liberal lines displaces such analysis. That is a mistake--one which is emphasized every time Westerners misread those actors. Since the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba, an additional variation of Marxist Leninist ideology--one that owes its sources to European Marxism, has again emerged, and may be influential within some quarters in Latin America and other developing states.

These emerging Marxist Leninist world views are worth studying. That is the object of a paper I have recently posted--Central Planning Versus Markets Marxism: Their Differences and Consequences for the International Ordering of State, Law,Politics, and Economy. It serves as my preliminary consideration of the emerging variations in Marxist Leninist ideologies that appear to be emerging.

  

This paper was first presented at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy, held in Miami, Florida on July 28, 2016.  My thanks to the Conference organizers, my discussants from Cuba and the other participants.Comments and observations most gratefully welcome.

The paper may be accessed HERE.

The summary PowerPoint may be accessed HERE.

The abstract in English and Español (Castellano) follows.

-->

Central Planning Versus Markets Marxism: Their Differences and Consequences for the International Ordering of State, Law, Politics, and Economy.

Larry Catá Backer
W. Richard and Mary Eshelman Faculty Scholar, Professor of Law and International Affairs
Pennsylvania State University, 239 Lewis Katz Building, University Park, PA 16802
1.814.863.3640 (direct),
lcb11@psu.edu



ABSTRACT: Two theories of Marxist state organization have been developing recently, each pointing in quite distinct ways to the organization of society, the state, government and the role of the vanguard Party. The development of an Asian “Markets Marxism” Model is well understood. The recent emergence of a Latin American “Central Planning Marxism” Model is less well understood. This paper examines the characteristics of this emerging “Central Planning Marxism” mode by looking at its development in Cuba since 2011. The examination centers on the official theory produced from the 6th through the 7th Congresses of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC). The 7th PCC Congress stands in stark contrast to its predecessor. A close examination of the development from the 6th to the 7th Congress may suggest the limits of reform in Cuba. These limits are structural as well as ideological. After a short introduction, Part II considers the structural constraints on reform as evidenced in the 7th Congress. process aspects of the 7th PCC Congress. Part III then considers the ideological constraints on reform that were produced in the 7th Congress and its substantive consequences of what now appears to be a sputtering of the reform trajectory from the 6th to the 7th PCC Congress. That exploration revolves around a close reading of the major ideological product of the 7th Congress, its Conceptualización which is intended to complement the Guidelines (Lineamientos) of the 6th PCC Congress, and provide the theoretical foundation for its further implementation of the reforms these Guidelines represented. Part IV then contrasts this emerging Model with the Asian “Markets Marxism” Model. The consequences for political economy, legitimacy and law are also discussed. Differences between the Asian Markets Marxism and the Cuban Central Planning Marxist Models may have profound implications for rule of law development and the structures of regulatory governance in administrative structures. Those differences suggest the difficulty of developing consensus for key concepts in law—from rule of law, to human rights and markets. An understanding of these quite distinct conceptual frameworks of understanding law, economics and politics will be essential as the leaders of these quite conceptually distinct systems seek to interact.

Dos teorías de la organización marxista del estado se desarrollan en los últimos años, cada una apuntando en formas muy distintas a la organización de la sociedad, el estado, el gobierno y el papel del partido de vanguardia. El desarrollo de un modelo asiático "marxismo mercador" se entiende bien. La reciente aparición de un modelo latinoamericano "Central de Planificación marxismo" es menos conocido. Este artículo examina las características de esta modalidad emergente "marxismo planificador" al ver su desarrollo en Cuba desde 2011. Los centros de examen sobre la teoría oficial producido a partir de la 6ª a través de los 7º Congresos del Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC). El 7º Congreso del PCC está en marcado contraste con su predecesor. Un examen detallado de la evolución del 6 al 7 ° Congreso puede sugerir los límites de la reforma en Cuba. Estos límites son estructurales, así como ideológico. Tras una breve introducción, la segunda parte considera las limitaciones estructurales de la reforma como se evidencia en el 7º Congreso. aspectos del proceso del 7º Congreso del PCC. En la Parte III se consideran las limitaciones ideológicas de la reforma que se produjeron en el 7º Congreso y sus consecuencias sustantivas de lo que ahora parece ser un chisporroteo de la trayectoria de la reforma del 6 al 7 ° Congreso. Esta exploración gira alrededor del producto ideológico más importante del 7º Congreso, su Conceptualización que está destinada a complementar las lineamientos del 6º Congreso del PCC, y proporcionar la base teórica para su ulterior aplicación de las reformas de las presentes directrices representadas. Parte IV contrasta este modelo emergente con el modelo asiático "marxismo mercador". También se discuten las consecuencias para la economía política, la legitimidad y el derecho. Las diferencias entre la teorías marxista asiático y latinoamericano tendrán profundas implicaciones para el desarrollo del estado de derecho y las estructuras de gobernanza regulatoria en las estructuras administrativas. Estas diferencias sugieren la dificultad de desarrollar un consenso para los conceptos clave en el proceso legislativo del estado de derecho, los derechos humanos y de los mercados. La comprensión de estos marcos conceptuales muy distintas de entender el derecho, la economía y la política será esencial, ya que los líderes de estos sistemas bastante conceptualmente distintas buscan interactuar.