The Development of Socialist Economic Thought : Selected Essays by Maurice Dobb

Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. Socialist thought. 2. The centenary of capital and its relevance today. 3. The discussions of the 1920s about building socialism. 4. Planning. 5. Commodity production under socialism.

Maurice Dobb (1900-1976) was a highly influential Marxist political economist and economic historian. He was famous for his writings on economic development - including the development of capitalism in the west, and the dilemmas of the Soviet Union in their efforts to industrialise what had been primarily an agricultural country.

This collection brings together a selection of essays written in the 1960s and 1970s, on socialist economic thought and planning. The essays discuss many issues of relevance today - how to bring about growth in non-industrialised countries; non-market approaches to the economy; and the relevance of Marx to analysing commodity capitalism.

The essays are introduced by Dobb's Literary Executor Brian Pollitt, who also gives a useful introduction to Dobb's life and work.