In this short, but rich piece of work, Erzsébet Szalai offers a neo-socialist alternative to socialism (i.e. communist ruled state-socialism) and neo-capitalism. Drawing upon the fertile tradition of left-wing Hungarian Social Sciences, she offers her own theory of transitional society, suggesting that socialism was not an independent formation, but instead a society in transition. She relocates soviet-type societies on the semi-periphery of the capitalist world system. In addition she offers a critique of capitalism that pivots on the two connected issues of over production and ecological crisis. She makes the distinction between an anti-globalism critique and a globalization critique, locating herself in the latter. This work offers readers the opportunity to engage in a critique of capitalism that is organized along a new understanding of socialism itself.

Preface Chapter 1 The Power Structure and Ownership Relations of the Semi-Peripheral Socialism Chapter 2 Power and Society Chapter 3 The Issue of Interest Integration Chapter 4 Actors of the Open Crisis Chapter 5 The Socio-cultural Heritage and Its Structural Effects Chapter 6 One-party System and the Transitory Society Chapter 7 The Chances of the New Socialist Alternative Bibliography