[p2p-research] Historical anti-materialism

[Paul D. Fernhout]

Ryan Lanham wrote:
> I agree with much of what you say, but I increasingly think the linkage to
> conventional Neo-Marxism may prove the undoing of P2P theory.
> 
> What I see developing amongst the Neo-Marxists is not an inclusive theory.
> It is a controlling theory. It must, like a religion, be the only way.  It
> mandates and demands while being inherently judgmental.  They KNOW what
> equality is.  They KNOW what persecution is.  And they KNOW how to solve
> these problems.  It is, like so many 19th century ideals, judgment mixed
> with intolerance.
> 
> I would hope pluralism could and would reign, but I fear that there are
> those who think their ideas are the only ones, and who demand that full
> accession to their ideals is a form of perfection.  That is dangerous.

Someone suggested to me that Charles Fourier said everything worth saying 
that Marx said, but earlier. :-)
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fourier

That doesn't mean Charles Fourier was right about everything, but he 
certainly said a lot of stuff that fits with a P2P spirit; from Wikipedia: 
"Fourier declared that concern and cooperation were the secrets of social 
success. He believed that a society that cooperated would see an immense 
improvement in their productivity levels. ... In the middle of the 20th 
century, Fourier's influence began to rise again among writers reappraising 
socialist ideas outside the Marxist mainstream. After the Surrealists had 
broken with the French Communist Party, André Breton returned to Fourier, 
writing Ode à Charles Fourier in 1947. ..."

Fourier had a lot of specific suggestions, but in general, he was open to 
diversity and individual choice. And people were actually willing multiple 
times to try variations of his ideas.

So, if P2P must be neo-anything, how about neo-Fourierist? :-)

My search of the p2p-research archives does not turn up his name "Fourier" 
mentioned anywhere.

Of course, even Adam Smith started out in an interesting direction: :-)
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_Moral_Sentiments
"How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles 
in his nature, which interest him in the fortunes of others, and render 
their happiness necessary to him, though he derives nothing from it, except 
the pleasure of seeing it."

--Paul Fernhout