Marxist Thought And Planning

Renee Toback writes about the continuing practical relevance of Marxist thought on the field of social planning.

1 minute read

November 21, 2003, 11:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"The dynamic of capitalist society is the use of money (M) to produce commodities (C) in order to acquire more money (M’). Thus in M-C-M’ the goal is to accumulate assets. The purpose of the market is not to trade products but to amass wealth as capital to better compete in the marketplace... This framework is directly applicable to understanding 'hot' urban issues and questions of social planning. The contradictions of workplace reform and the rights of workers clearly illustrate the contradictions of capitalism and the value of a dialectical approach."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Thursday, November 20, 2003 in Planners Network

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