The Mode of Production
Conference of Socialist Economists (CSE) and the Brighton Labour Process Group (BLPG)
The Conference of Socialist Economists (CSE) was formed in 1970 with the aim of bringing together socialist economists to develop a political economy within the socialist movement. Its original founders were Sam Aaronovitch, Robin Murray, Hugo Radice and Bob Rowthorn. In 1975, a number of CSE members formed the BLPG to study work and production in capitalism. This was facilitated by Robin based on dozens of his typed Memos included here in their original form. At the same time Marxist reading groups fed into these meetings and led to the introduction of BA and MPhil courses in Marxist Economics at Sussex University taught by Mary Kaldor and Robin Murray from 1972-77. Much of this work contributed to teaching in IDS, notably the Socialist Seminar of 1979. Robin continued to facilitate the BLPG until 1980. Four members reflect on the ferment of this period.
Marxism Today, courtesy of the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust
Life After Henry (Ford)
Martin Jacques, former editor of Marxism Today, recalls the articles that Robin wrote for the magazine in the 1980s which helped to introduce the wider Left to the concepts of Fordism and post-Fordism. Robin argued that the shift in the mode of production was accompanied by profound social and cultural changes, with the progressive emergence of a new kind of society, a post-Fordist society. Further articles explored the implications of this for the public sector and public services.
Post-Fordism and Radical Economics
Michael Rustin reflects on Robin’s role as an economist - practitioner, a doer and an adviser, as well as a thinker, researcher and writer. He also explains how the central lesson Robin learnt from Marx’s ideas concerned the priority that should be given to the sphere of production, and the labour process on which it was based, over those of circulation and distribution, on which “marginalist” economic theory was based. This underpinned Robin’s interest first in Fordism, then in flexible specialisation and latterly the Platform Economy.
FURTHER READING
Robin Murray, “Notes on post-post-Fordism”, 2008
Robin Murray, “The State after Henry”, Marxism Today, pp 22-27, May 1991. Translated into Italian here.
Robin Murray, “Post Fordism and New Times”, paper presented to conference on "Technology, Labour, Enterprise and Region in the 21st century from the Perspectives of Flexibility" held in Nagoya, and Nihon Fukushi University, 6th-8th 1990 (translated into Spanish).
Avril Joffe, Robin Murray and Sandar Sips, “Fordism and Socialist Development”, IDS, 1990
Robin Murray, “Life after Henry (Ford)”, Marxism Today, Oct 1988, 8-13
Robin Murray, “Benetton Britain: The New Economic Order”, Marxism Today, Nov 1985, 28-32
Robin Murray, “Local Government and Production”, conference paper, January 1985