Why are Conservative governments reproducing Soviet state failures? | LSE Research Showcase

The rise of nationalist populism in some of the world’s richest countries has prompted urgent analyses of contemporary capitalism. Dr Abby Innes discusses her new book "Late Soviet Britain: Why Materialist Utopias Fail", which for the first time explores how the Leninist and neoliberal revolutions have failed for many of the same reasons. These doctrines may have been utterly opposed in their political values, but when we grasp the kinship between their forms of economic argument and their practical strategies for government, we can better understand the causes of state failure in both systems as well as their calamitous results.
Abby Innes is Associate Professor in Political Economy in the European Institute at LSE. www.lse.ac.uk/european-instit...
"Late Soviet Britain: Why Materialist Utopias Fail", Cambridge University Press, September 2023 www.cambridge.org/core/books/...
🔴 Find out more about the LSE Research Showcase events: www.lse.ac.uk/researchshowcase
🔴 Read more stories about LSE research in Research for the World, our online social science magazine: www.lse.ac.uk/rftw

[@ritornelloandrefrain]

Fascinating talk on the fatal, fundamenal tautological flaws of neoliberalism & Leninism.

[@brianjacob8728]

neoliberalism isn't left wing. it's the failed right wing laissez faire model.

[@tankrabbit534]

1. Contraselection. [decision makers getting jobs by connections not by ability - apparatchiki] 2. Overconfidence. [privileged life in a bubble - party perks] 3. Ideological rigor [neoliberal or communist doctrinal thinking] 4. Corruption [entitled to have "benefits" of the job]

[@MikeNewland]

Excellent book!

[@Skylark_Jones]

Alas, I fear that if you gave this lecture directly to the government, that the way they are running the country is not unlike the way the Soviets ran their country, they will take it as a compliment! 🤦🏻‍♀️😳🙄

[@Antraeus]

The government appears to be adept at IGNORING the intelligent viewpoints that are practically ambushing it nowadays! At this rate they will censor free speech and online discourse altogether, accusing US of misinformation when they themselves are lying through their teeth, can only answer questions from their party programming and block their ears. Oh they already have!

[@gamerhegel7780]

astounding amounts of midwittery. it is insulting to everyone involved to make arguments by analogy and metaethics in politics.

[@omefrfr]

well duh

[@RandallSlick]

This brief but fascinating talk would have been improved by more flags, if only to prove to the more delicate viewer that the speaker doesn't eat tofu.

[@manuelmanuel9248]

The right is not even original

[@roc7880]

nothing is dangerous and hillarious at the same time as a libertarian who loves state power to suppress protest, small entreprise, and free speech. nevertheless, it is also a logical evolution of capitalism towards plutocracy and authoritarianism.

[@danremenyi1179]

Abbey is absolutely correct. I graduated with an Economics and Political Science Degree more than 50 years ago and I felt and I guess knew deep down everything Abbey has just said but I did not have the intellectual tools then to express my skeptism of what I had been told. The problem with Abbey's presentation is that there will still be very few people out there who even now have the ability to really understand what she is saying. Anyway thanks you Abby.

[@darkstar223]

You cant with any integrity jump from Lenin to starlin as an example of communism with pointing out they are different economies and philosophy’s approach’s to state control…..remember its was

[@I_am_ka]

Communism + Totalitarianism + Capitalism are the same! Just the *money & capital* go in different directions

[@LillPoss]

@@I_am_ka "Communism + Totalitarianism + Capitalism" for a starter Communism didn't exist, at least in modern history, what was there in the USSR was socialism and no capitalism and socialism are not=! it's not "Just the money & capital go in different directions" Capitalism is ruled by profit, Socialism is not. Like, for example, imho we have come to the stage where we need to take our production away from our planet as we are killing it ( any efforts we have currently in place are just putting bandaids but not solving the problem), but with capitalism ruling the world it is not going to happen as at least at this stage the profit is not there so it would be an investment without return and thus not happening in foreseen future, where in socialism the funds would be allocated for it as it would benefit the society as whole, idk where did you come with your point of view onto the topic of communism and capitalism, but it looks like you know not much but propaganda on the topic of socialism/communism, to understand more about socialism watch at least few lectures by prof Richard D. Wolff to get a bit of insight into it

[@darkstar223]

@@I_am_ka so y think people who work should not get payed

[@I_am_ka]

@@darkstar223 Point out where in my statement, you see that. And how you've concluded such a claim.

[@I_am_ka]

@@darkstar223 Another fact, is that communism (a living corps) is just another type of monopoly. Money is common denominator between all systems oppressive or liberated

[@tomthumb2361]

Why don't people like this get asked to appear on Question Time?

[@darkstar223]

It’s all very simple you cant make gross profit from solving problems …welcome to capitalism

[@ednorton47]

Because they are not conservative.

[@kahhowong3417]

That's what Soviets do!

[@tsuchan]

You started off well, but quickly regressed into unintelligible gibberish.

[@standingbear998]

bs

[@XOPOIIIO]

Market economy is not a theoretical notion, it's a practical and empirically proven functioning mechanism.