Date: Tue, 09 Aug 1994 13:48:19 +1000
From: Steve.Keen-AT-unsw.EDU.AU
Subject: Re: Re[2]: marx/stalinism


This is a bit tangential to Andy's excellent post, but I think an
observation inspired by modern mathematics should temper at least some
of the "mea culpas" associated with identifying Stalinism with Marx.
The observation is that any dynamic nonlinear process is inherently
unpredictable, all the more so if it goes through a "cusp catastrophe".
And I can't think of a better social phenomenon to wear the tag
nonlinear than a revolution. In other words, a revolution is such a
total upheaval that there's no way of knowing a priori what kind of
society it will lead to.

The somewhat challenging moral to the above is that if you want to
engineer social change, a revolution is a terrible way to do it.

Cheers,
Steve Keen


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