Looking for criticisms of social democracy

Submitted by lrnec on 14 May, 2008 - 12:44.

I was looking the some criticisms of social democracy and “regulated capitalism,” I found a piece about Bakunin but I was wondering if there were some more modern examples or writings.

In general the point was raised that capitalism if regulated can be a positive force such as the post labour govt’s social reforms NHS etc. My general argument was that it wouldn’t be possible to effectively regulate capitalism and there’s been no solid example. That the sheer weight of capitalist power can crush economies or groups that don’t respond to their market in a positive sense.

Any comments to bring up or papers to refer to?

14 May, 2008 - 15:05

Freedom Press issued a book in 1978 "The Impossibilities of Social Democracy ".Mostly articles from "Freedom" and, mainly, criticisms of the UK Labour Party. The title is actually a spoof on George Bernard Shaw's The Impossibilities of Anarchism".

Freedom Press folks can probably give you a better idea if any of the book is on-line.

14 May, 2008 - 15:09

Pannekoek's "Social Democracy and Communism" is good but touches on different aspects of Social Democracy than what you're looking for. I think there is some overlap, though.

http://marxists.org/archive/pannekoe/1927/sdc.htm

15 May, 2008 - 13:29

there's Aufheben's articles on Social Democracy

18 May, 2008 - 16:53

Irnec

You may find the following articles from our series on Communism interesting, they give a Left Communist assessment and critique of the development of Social Democracy;
Part 9: Communism against 'State Socialism'; http://en.internationalism.org/ir/078/commy-09
Part 12: 1883-95: Social-Democracy Advances the Communist Cause; http://en.internationalism.org/ir/084_commy12.html
Part 15: 1895-1905: The Revolutionary Perspective Obscured by Parliamentary Illusions; http://en.internationalism.org/taxonomy/term/342