Unicorn
13th July 2008, 19:11
Check out this excellent chapter in a 1972 book "the Scientific and Technological Revolution: Social Effects and Prospects" by the Soviet Academy of Sciences":
It says:
"Closely associated with the “convergence theory" is the theory of “technological determinism”, which has been widely publicised of late. Its supporters argue that technology per se, regardless of its social environment, gives rise to identical social and political processes. It is widely known, however, that the application of a certain kind of technology under capitalism produces diametrically different social results from what the same technology produces under socialism. Bourgeois ideologists attempt to assess the role played by technology in isolation from the social context of its development and use this to slip in the notion of “technology” in place of the Marxist-Leninist concept of the productive forces, on the one hand, and to negate the significance of socio-economic relations to society’s development, on the other.
From the “convergence theory" they deduce that the fundamental distinction between socialist and bourgeois ideologies becomes progressively less and less important. Hence there arises yet another bourgeois theory—the “ deideologisation" theory. Its exponents seek to show that the road to truth lies through overcoming “ideology” as the antipode of science, through renouncing the class approach. This theory is spearheaded against Marxism-Leninism, its aim 115being to increase the influence of bourgeois and reformist ideology.
An expression of the imperialists’ fear of the growing appeal of socialism, the “convergence theory" also springs from a desire to whitewash monopoly capitalism and prove that it is capable of changing into an utterly different, noncapitalist, kind of society. It is not accidental either that some bourgeois ideologists avoid using the word “capitalism” altogether, so obnoxious has it become.
The scientific and technological revolution, which under capitalism involves extreme concentration and centralisation of capital, intensifies the contradictions between social production and private appropriation. This further reveals the historically obsolete nature of capitalist relations and private ownership of the means of production, and fosters the growth of material prerequisites of socialism.
Under socialism alone, does the progress of science and technology have free scope and bring higher living standards for the people, thus hastening the triumph of communism."
http://leninist.biz/en/1972/SATR278/05.2-The.Ideological.Struggle
It says:
"Closely associated with the “convergence theory" is the theory of “technological determinism”, which has been widely publicised of late. Its supporters argue that technology per se, regardless of its social environment, gives rise to identical social and political processes. It is widely known, however, that the application of a certain kind of technology under capitalism produces diametrically different social results from what the same technology produces under socialism. Bourgeois ideologists attempt to assess the role played by technology in isolation from the social context of its development and use this to slip in the notion of “technology” in place of the Marxist-Leninist concept of the productive forces, on the one hand, and to negate the significance of socio-economic relations to society’s development, on the other.
From the “convergence theory" they deduce that the fundamental distinction between socialist and bourgeois ideologies becomes progressively less and less important. Hence there arises yet another bourgeois theory—the “ deideologisation" theory. Its exponents seek to show that the road to truth lies through overcoming “ideology” as the antipode of science, through renouncing the class approach. This theory is spearheaded against Marxism-Leninism, its aim 115being to increase the influence of bourgeois and reformist ideology.
An expression of the imperialists’ fear of the growing appeal of socialism, the “convergence theory" also springs from a desire to whitewash monopoly capitalism and prove that it is capable of changing into an utterly different, noncapitalist, kind of society. It is not accidental either that some bourgeois ideologists avoid using the word “capitalism” altogether, so obnoxious has it become.
The scientific and technological revolution, which under capitalism involves extreme concentration and centralisation of capital, intensifies the contradictions between social production and private appropriation. This further reveals the historically obsolete nature of capitalist relations and private ownership of the means of production, and fosters the growth of material prerequisites of socialism.
Under socialism alone, does the progress of science and technology have free scope and bring higher living standards for the people, thus hastening the triumph of communism."
http://leninist.biz/en/1972/SATR278/05.2-The.Ideological.Struggle