Neoliberalism - Do you know what it is?

[homersapien 11,812]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/neoliberalism-destroying-almost-everybodys-lives-how-many-people-even-know-what-it

[triangletiger 1,599]

Good article. I'm inclined toward a laissez faire economic philosophy and believe in a free market; but, as that article implies, it's not that simple. Wnen people have political power (be it in governmental roles or big business), there is a tendency to manipulate things in one's own favor - to 'rig the game', so to speak. I'm not sure what the solution is to this problem (at least from a temporal, secular perspective). I guess we have to strive for the middle ground where the government regulates business, but is not overbearing to the point that the business can't function; and powerful people in the private sector are not controlling the government. But where does the motivation to do this come from? How do we encourage people to do what's right and fair and not to always 'look out for number 1'? Who even decides what's right or fair?

[homersapien 11,812]

Exactly. Like so many things in life, the challenge is to maintain a good balance between an oppressive government and an oligarchy.

[AUDub 11,426]

Exactly. Like so many things in life, the challenge is to maintain a good balance between an oppressive government and an oligarchy.

Reminds me of a quote from America (The Book):

"Society needs laws. While anarchy can often turn a humdrum weekend into something unforgettable, eventually the mob must be kept from stealing the conch and killing Piggy. And while it would be nice if that "something" was simple human decency, anybody who has witnessed the "50% Off Wedding Dress Sale" at Filene's Basement knows we need a backup plan—preferably in writing. On the other hand, too many laws can result in outright tyranny, particularly if one of those laws is "Kneel before Zod." Somewhere between these two extremes lies the legislative sweet-spot that produces just the right amount of laws for a well-adjusted society—more than zero, less than fascism.”

-Jon Stewart, America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

[maxwere 82]

Someone must be concerned. 10 years ago no one mentioned Mises or Hayek. The federal reserve and foreign central banks are the culprit for financial crisis, various bubbles, wars and the business cycle. (Permit me to issue and control the money of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws! MA Rothschild... It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning. Henry Ford) If the author actually read Mises, he would know this. But he hasn't, because Mises isn't easy reading.

Rule of law, contract law and the courts are not exclusive to modern concept of anarchy, anarcho-capitalism or minarchism. THIS is an oversimplification.

The cancer ideologies are these: The Social Contract (Hobbs, Locke, Rousseau), positive rights and the General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money (Keynes). Negative rights, hard money (fixed supply), private property, free trade. Get the theory right (rational, consistent), get the principles right, act on them and your society starts to look more local, more self-governed, less violent, more capital efficient. (less oligarchical +1 to Homer)

[homersapien 11,812]

Exactly. Like so many things in life, the challenge is to maintain a good balance between an oppressive government and an oligarchy.

Reminds me of a quote from America (The Book):

"Society needs laws. While anarchy can often turn a humdrum weekend into something unforgettable, eventually the mob must be kept from stealing the conch and killing Piggy. And while it would be nice if that "something" was simple human decency, anybody who has witnessed the "50% Off Wedding Dress Sale" at Filene's Basement knows we need a backup plan—preferably in writing. On the other hand, too many laws can result in outright tyranny, particularly if one of those laws is "Kneel before Zod." Somewhere between these two extremes lies the legislative sweet-spot that produces just the right amount of laws for a well-adjusted society—more than zero, less than fascism.”

-Jon Stewart, America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

That's great! I love a dash of humor with my politics

[maxwere 82]

This article corrects the (Monbiot) nonsense from the original conflating Hayek with "Neo-liberalism": http://juanramonrallo.com/2016/05/why-george-monbiot-is-clueless-about-neoliberalism/