Date: Sun, 08 Jun 1997 13:15:06 -0700
From: hugh bone <hughbone-AT-worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Lyotard and Economics


Lois, Giles, et.al.,

In the "Sign of History" portion of Le Differend, Lyotard advances 
what are for me some very strange ideas about capitalism and labor
and exchange and saving time etc.

It is so difficult to find any economic writing which is not more of
the same and hardly different Marxist dogma, or the usual hosannas
to capitalist dogma.

Am also weary of "service economy", sacrifices workers must make -
transpose to workers who must be sacrificed - for profit of corporate
global competition.

When it comes to factual information, I despair of ever finding the
flow of GNP into RENT, INTEREST, PROFITS, TAXES, INSURANCE, and  
ADVERTISING.  

A utopia of worker-owned capital would, by definition, pay rents and 
interest (which could to a great extent be avoided by re-investing 
profits) to its own workers.  

It could tax incomes less, for property is a sort of security.

It could handle most insurance on and after-the-fact
(self-insurance basis) as many corporations do.

And it could eliminate most advertising, forcing people to depend on 
other sources for info on large purchases (which we all do anyway,
and reducing the cost of everything in supermarkets and department 
stores.

Anyone know any good works along these lines?

Hugh