'This is an important book. It provides a rare, concise and penetrating analysis of East German theorists' reactions to the evolving problems of socialism in the GDR … a highly readable introduction to some of the major intellectual debates during the Ulbricht years … excellent book … Caldwell has written an important study which will reward its readers with a much more sophisticated understanding of the GDR and its intellectual climate. For this reason, the book is not just important reading for those interested in social and political theory, but also for those interested in the political, cultural and everyday history of the GDR.' German History

• List of illustrations; Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction: modernization, modernity and the plan; 1. The economics of state socialism: productivity and the law of value; 2. The legal theory of state socialism: socialist legality, the laws of historical development and the plan; 3. Philosophy and state socialism: consciousness, dialectical materialism and hope; 4. From planning metaphysics to cybernetics: planning, technique and politics after revisionism; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

'This is an important book. It provides a rare, concise and penetrating analysis of East German theorists' reactions to the evolving problems of socialism in the GDR … a highly readable introduction to some of the major intellectual debates during the Ulbricht years … excellent book … Caldwell has written an important study which will reward its readers with a much more sophisticated understanding of the GDR and its intellectual climate. For this reason, the book is not just important reading for those interested in social and political theory, but also for those interested in the political, cultural and everyday history of the GDR.' German History

• List of illustrations; Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction: modernization, modernity and the plan; 1. The economics of state socialism: productivity and the law of value; 2. The legal theory of state socialism: socialist legality, the laws of historical development and the plan; 3. Philosophy and state socialism: consciousness, dialectical materialism and hope; 4. From planning metaphysics to cybernetics: planning, technique and politics after revisionism; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

'This is an important book. It provides a rare, concise and penetrating analysis of East German theorists' reactions to the evolving problems of socialism in the GDR … a highly readable introduction to some of the major intellectual debates during the Ulbricht years … excellent book … Caldwell has written an important study which will reward its readers with a much more sophisticated understanding of the GDR and its intellectual climate. For this reason, the book is not just important reading for those interested in social and political theory, but also for those interested in the political, cultural and everyday history of the GDR.' German History

• List of illustrations; Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction: modernization, modernity and the plan; 1. The economics of state socialism: productivity and the law of value; 2. The legal theory of state socialism: socialist legality, the laws of historical development and the plan; 3. Philosophy and state socialism: consciousness, dialectical materialism and hope; 4. From planning metaphysics to cybernetics: planning, technique and politics after revisionism; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.