Here are two recent publications associated with the activities of the Laboratory on recent debates on alternatives to capitalism.
This review essay offers a critical overview of five influential books on the topic of alternatives to capitalism published between the Great Recession and the Global Pandemic. These titles are a small fraction of this burgeoning literature. However, these titles have been selected to give a sense of the diversity of the debate while highlighting a general failure to incorporate class analysis into the critique of capitalism and visions of an alternative. The article argues that the analysis of class dynamics should be integrated into the discussion at the level of not only economic relations but also the state and international relations. This is indeed essential for the theoretical efficacy and strategic pertinence of the analysis. Here is the link to this piece.
Socialism, Markets, and the Critique of Money The Theory of “Labor Notes”, by Tsuyoshi Yuki –
This book provides a comprehensive overview of historical and international debates on the theory of “labor money” or “labor notes.” These debates exist in a triangular context of market socialism, communism (community-based socialism), and local currency, joining numerous socialists, anarchists, and Marx and Engels. Labor note theory encompasses theoretical, ideological, and practical doctrines aimed at designing a fair and desirable labor-based market or non-market economy by reforming the monetary and credit system. This theory was considered an unfeasible utopian idea in the context of orthodox Marxism, which is typically based on a historical study of surplus value doctrines. However, this book eschews Marx’s critique of “labor money” that limits the debate regarding a concrete alternative society, and instead proposes practical and gradual approaches to social reform by scrutinizing the primary sources of labor money theories and practical experiences and reconstructs their theoretical relationships. For more, see the webpage of the book here.