Socialism and technology: a sectoral view

Abstract

In its first section, the article emphasizes the importance of technology in the context of the opposition capitalism/socialism, drawing from that the implication that: an analysis of its functions and side-effects in society cannot be absent from the
theoretical underpinnings necessary as a basis in the struggle for socialism. The basic principles of a socialist approach are then enunciated. 'The remaining sections present a sectoral overview of the issues of technology today, analysing one by one the following five sectors of economic activity: agriculture/forests/fisheries,industry/ transport/energy,information/communication/education,surveillance/repression/military, public health and healthcare services. For each sector, a sketch is made of the main characteristics of current capitalist practice, the implicit requirements for a socialist
alternative, and the degree to which the conditions for satisfying these requirements are already present.