On the Economic Theory of Socialism [antikvár]

PREFACE This volume is the second in a series on the problem of government control of the economic order. In the first volume of the series it w^as pointed out that the political scientist cannot hope to deal intelligently vi^ith the problem of control—and it is his problem ultimately—unless he first acquaints himself with the nature of what is to be controlled. The political scientist is interested in two main types of control: control of a capitalist and control of a socialist economy. This volume is concerned with the latter. A later volume will deal with the former. We have included in this volume papers by Fred M. Taylor and Oskar Lange. These economists have dealt with a socialist economy on the ground of economic theory and its possibility in practice. Preceding these essays is an introduction of some length. Its purpose is not only to provide something of a background for the technical economic essays, but also to sketch the main argument of the essays for the reader who is not a specialist in economics. The introduction has a further purpose: to point out briefly the significance of the economic essays for the problem of government control of the economic order.