What is Mutualism?

Economics Political Theory
1

I know that Mutualism is an anarchist system created by Proudhon, but what is it and how would it work. Is it good or bad? If good why? If bad why? If it is bad is their any thing in it that is good that could be salvaged?

2

It is inbetween anarcho-capitalism and anarcho-communism. They don’t apply negative rights/property rights the same way libertarians/Austrians do. For example, they very much dislike lending money at interest, and they very much dislike someone having a private title in land.

As always, having land capital or money capital is regarded as some kind of exploitation. And they totally miss the point that if it were not for homesteading and ownership of these kind of things, production can never properly get under way. And that these things are extremely beneficial to the rest of society.

3

  1. red toryism/conservativism for lefties

  2. another list of strung togther non cognitive terms by fringe left wing political theorists (though slightly better done than most others)

  3. LTV/ anti-usury, etc

This type of conservatism does have a place however; in the mystical land of hobits, orcs, and rings of power.

4

Depends on what you mean. For example, this guy is a mutualist. Yet he supports the subjective theory of value, and seems to be quasi-Austrian with the exception of absentee ownership. And some mutualists don’t even want to outlaw, but simply discourage. I like to think of it as market anarchism for those uncomfortable with the label “right wing” but practically can be about the same thing. For historical examples of things approaching mutualism see the Modern Times colony and the Icelandic Commonwealth

5

"1) red toryism/conservativism for lefties

  1. another list of strung togther non cognitive terms by fringe left wing political theorists (though slightly better done than most others)

  2. LTV/ anti-usury, etc

This type of conservatism does have a place however; in the mystical land of hobits, orcs, and rings of power."

Could you please elaborate on how hobbiton is Mutualist? Also is your last statement on Hobbiton complementary or criticical of mutualism? Also is mutualism or certain species of mutualism necessarily inimical to austria market principlies? I find some of its concpets intriguing.

6

I was mostly joking and pointing out how Tolkein had a “Red Tory/ Little Englander” conservative feel to his literature if one wished to politicize it, which belongs strictly in the realm of fantasy.

I just don’t find much of what mutualism says coherent. It seems to be mostly slogans (I suppose one could say the same thing with much of libertarianism) that are not market (i.e. civilization) compatible. If it is (and I think it is compared to many other fringe leftist groups) it is accidental (once again like many strands of US styled libertarianism). If there are strands of mutualism that accept STV or if the theory is always"misrepresented" than that only furthesr my suspicion that it is nothing more than some aesthetic at best, or political sloganing / social pandering at worst.

7

Talking about mutualism brings me to another point I would like to make. As asked a question about Hutterites in 'Hutterites, Community of Goods and the Free Market". After looking at the question I posted there what kind of economic system would you say the Hutterites have? Or put differently how best should they be classified in an economic matrix?

8

If anyone figures out how Mutualism could work, I am all ears.