Inca Empire

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I recently read a little bit about the ancient Inca empire, and the book explained how the Incan people would bring all of their crops and the like to the govenment, who would redistribute it in rations to all of the people. My question is, what is this type of economy called, and is there any leftist political ideologies that favour this?

[Dimentio]

I recently read a little bit about the ancient Inca empire, and the book explained how the Incan people would bring all of their crops and the like to the govenment, who would redistribute it in rations to all of the people. My question is, what is this type of economy called, and is there any leftist political ideologies that favour this?

That type of economy is called "a palace economy". The state basically owns all the fruits of production and then distributes them back to the people.

Egypt, the Chinese Empire and Babylonia utilised similar systems.

I think proponents of Juche would like it.

[Kyrite]

It was also used in bronze age Greece.

[Dimentio]

It was also used in bronze age Greece.

Yes, in Crete to be exact. ^^

[AnarchoArchaeologist]

And in mainland Greece during the Mycenaean period, I thought?

[Dimentio]

And in mainland Greece during the Mycenaean period, I thought?

I have never heard the Mycenaeans did anything like that.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Historians on the prowl... Thanks though :)
Any leftist political ideologies use a "Palace Economy"

[Dimentio]

Historians on the prowl... Thanks though :)
Any leftist political ideologies use a "Palace Economy"

Not officially no.

But to me, the Soviet Union and similar states were actually examples of modern de-facto palace economies.

[ComradeOm]

Any leftist political ideologies use a "Palace Economy"Its an historical relic that hasn't been seen in Europe for millennia. Its most obvious lasting influences would probably be the 'Byzantine despotism' (which both Tsarist Russia and Ottoman Turkey consciously modelled their own economies on) in which an autocratic central bureaucracy played a major role in then distribution of resources and ownership of land. Contrast to the Western feudal model with its large class of economically independent nobles

There's a tendency to project this model forward to the Tsardom's successor state (hence the label of 'agrarian despotism' occasional applied to the USSR) but that's not a view I'd subscribe to. In my opinion there remain enough significant differences between the two, even the intent behind them, to consider them different economic models entirely. More to the point, Stalinist Russia was perfectly capable of consciously borrowing from its Tsarist predecessor but AFAIK the economic planning was never conceived in such a way

[robbo203]

I recently read a little bit about the ancient Inca empire, and the book explained how the Incan people would bring all of their crops and the like to the govenment, who would redistribute it in rations to all of the people. My question is, what is this type of economy called, and is there any leftist political ideologies that favour this?

Karl Polanyi distinquished between 3 types of economies - reciprocal or gift economies, market economies and redistibutivist economies. What you are referring to is obviously the last of these in which goods flow inwards towards a central authority which then redistributes them within a system of power and patronage. Such a system in my view is a form of class society along with market economies. Only the first of these - a gift economy - is fully compatible with a functioning communist ecnomy

[Dimentio]

Karl Polanyi distinquished between 3 types of economies - reciprocal or gift economies, market economies and redistibutivist economies. What you are referring to is obviously the last of these in which goods flow inwards towards a central authority which then redistributes them within a system of power and patronage. Such a system in my view is a form of class society along with market economies. Only the first of these - a gift economy - is fully compatible with a functioning communist ecnomy

The problem with a gift economy is how we should structure up distribution to millions of individuals. A gift economy could demand tens of inter-transactions before the individual gets what she wants.

I think Energy accounting is a forth kind of system which probably is a lot more efficient than a gift economy.

[robbo203]

The problem with a gift economy is how we should structure up distribution to millions of individuals. A gift economy could demand tens of inter-transactions before the individual gets what she wants.

I think Energy accounting is a forth kind of system which probably is a lot more efficient than a gift economy.

How do you figure this out? An example of a gift economy is the free software and open source movement . In what sense does this require "tens of inter-transactions before the individual gets what she wants". I dont get it

I think you are confusing a gift economy with an exchange economy. A gift economy does not involve any quid pro quo exchanges and is essentially about cementing social relationships rather than separating individuals into dyadic relationships of "buyer" and "seller". The best description of a free communist society in my view is one based on generalised reciprocity

[Tjis]

How do you figure this out? An example of a gift economy is the free software and open source movement . In what sense does this require "tens of inter-transactions before the individual gets what she wants". I dont get it

A infrastructure is still required. For example, people are maintaining Sourceforge and it's many mirrors. On a lower level, there are people who make sure your internet connection works.

[Dimentio]

How do you figure this out? An example of a gift economy is the free software and open source movement . In what sense does this require "tens of inter-transactions before the individual gets what she wants". I dont get it

I think you are confusing a gift economy with an exchange economy. A gift economy does not involve any quid pro quo exchanges and is essentially about cementing social relationships rather than separating individuals into dyadic relationships of "buyer" and "seller". The best description of a free communist society in my view is one based on generalised reciprocity

There is a difference between an object like a software and an object like a car. The good side about energy accounting is that we A) instantly know how much we could produce in an entire system, B) would know how the consumer preferences look like, C) would be able to unify both of these without the distorting effects of a market economy.

http://en.technocracynet.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=103