20-03-2021: Collective ownership of the means of production (2)
Author: E.A. Bakkum
It turns out that property rights of the production factors affect the incentives to produce. This column analyzes the incentives of the direction in the non-profit organization, the state bureaucracy, and the state enterprise. Also the social ownership in the Leninist paradigm is studied again. The Leninist principles are compared with those of the modern institutionalism. It turns out that in all these cases group morals are a decisive factor .... Read more
22-02-2021: The radical centre in Germany
Author: E.A. Bakkum
Twenty years ago the social-democratic parties had successes with the policy of the radical centre. The present column analyzes the experiences of the German SPD. The SPD-ideologist Thomas Meyer propagates a social democracy, which defends the positive fundamental rights. Attention is paid to both the view of the social-democratic main current, and the left wing within the SPD (Eppler and Nahles). The OECD data files are used for studying the policy effects of the radical centre .... Read more
30-01-2021: The radical centre and the Purple cabinets
Author: E.A. Bakkum
During the ninetees of the last century the ideology of the radical centre emerges, which henceforth is supported by centre-left parties. The present column again summarizes its principles. The American variant is described, which has laid the foundations. Next the policy of the two Purple cabinets in the Netherlands is studied, because these can also be ranked among the movement of the radical centre. Much attention is paid to the criticism within the PvdA with regard to its own Purple coalition .... Read more
14-01-2021: Collective ownership of the means of production
Author: E.A. Bakkum
The diversity of ownership forms has always fascinated the economists. The present column first describes several principles of property. Next an analysis is presented for three basic forms of ownership within the enterprise. The case of the production cooperation is studied in detail. Finally the social property is studied, such as is present in Leninism. The Leninist enterprise is modelled mathematically .... Read more
28-12-2020: Power models and practice
Author: E.A. Bakkum
It becomes increasingly common in economics to complement the traditional neoclassical paradign with models of human behaviour, such as power politics. The present column describes two models, where the tournament is combined with rent seeking. They are placed in the context of the revolt theory of J.S. Coleman. Furthermore, tournaments with immaterial (ideological) bonuses are discussed, similar to the proposal by D. Pels and the habit in Leninism .... Read more