/lit/ - Literature

>what are you reading?
Property and Contracts in Economics: the Case for Economic Democracy
>how is it or what are your thoughts on it?
Very interesting contract based attempt to argue for market socialism. The chapters on the alieneist vs the inalienast natural rights history was illuminating, framing it through the Roman conception of Translatio versus Concession (subjugation or delegation). His arguements on the uniqueness of labor is interesting, especially since I have just read Studies in Mutualist Political Economy where Kevin Carson sought to reformulate the labor theory of value from a subjectivist lens, labor being unique in that there is a disutility in working. Ellerman takes a more legal perspective by arguing that labor is the party that is de facto responsible for firm actions, and the legal system has to pretend workers can swap between “thing” and “human” depending on the context. As a market socialist, he does not believe the “capitalist” will be abolished, but instead wishes to see firms where laborers hire capital and are capable of appropriating the fruits of the enterprise and capitalist being paid solely for access to capital while not being contractually presumed to acquisition of the finished good. I’m on part 3 now and I hope to finish by this weekend.
>bonus: a book you finished recently or want to read next?
^ studies in mutualism political economy was the last book I read. I may read Ellerman’s Democratic Firm for a clearer picture of what he environs or move on the Axelrod’s evolution of cooperation.