I have decided to have a new segment in my log which highlights whacky blog posts.
If nothing else, it will feed the troll in me.
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Jakartass is like the granddaddy of Indonesian expat bloggers. And like all grandparents, every so often he comes out with the most whacky old timer bull.
This time he says:
"I'm not an advocate of market forces."
OK, fair enough. But what are you an advocate of? Hippy astrological love forces?
In most cases being anti "neo-liberal" (I still don't understand what that means! I suppose put neo in front of any word and it becomes evil sounds, neo-hippy's anybody?) is like being anti anything, it's all well and good being against something, but what are you for? What is your plan for love, happiness and donuts?
I have read Das Kapital (in the original German) where Karl Marx lays out a plan for a global utopia. Spoiler alert! There's worryingly little religion or sex in this Marxist utopia. Actually, I reckon there's a gap in the meme market for Marxism with extra sex. How about this, Marxist manga with lots of hentai!
I shall coin it "neo-Marxism". A Marxism for cosmo readers and people that make their own fair trade hemp clothing.
Anyway, back to Jakartass, he tells us that Thatcherism is now global in the form of the IMF and ADB yada yada -- apart from North Korea! Good old Kim Jong Il, I bet he'd never contemplate a poll tax or borrowing from the evil IMF. Spoiler alert! It turns out the Kim Jong Il runs the IMF!
In any case, skepticism of neo-liberalism is healthy (I am sure neo-liberalism was coined by lefties in order to have something to worry about!) as is being sceptical of any ideology. We live in a less than ideal world after all.
There are many examples where free markets fail miserably at providing a reasonable standard of living to societies. In fact that is what economists busy themselves doing, fixing up markets to increase people's welfare (that and trying to relate moral hazard to everything).
Economics is a science not an ideology, because free market (e.g. libertarian) and interventionist (e.g. socialist) ideas are mixed and matched to come up pragmatic way to improve people's welfare.
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8 comments:
Das Kapital isn't a plan for a utopia, it is a critique of capitalism. If you added together every time Marx said anything about what a future socialist or communist society would be like in all three volumes of Capital it would probably be less than 5 pages.
Anon, I think you haven't read Das Kapital all the way through!
ha ha ha ha. moral of the story: make sure you know about the subject before commenting. or just say it frankly you know nothing about it, so people can learn you.
You're absolutely right, Delvi.
John has obviously not read my post beyond his own prejudices, which he expresses in a very scornful manner, much like the children's playground game of 'King of the Castle.'
I gave one link with a definition of 'neo-liberalism', but there are, of course, many more. John should, therefore have made the effort to learn what the term means, perhaps by reading about it in its original language. The term wasn't coined by 'lefties'.
I'll allow the 'grandfather' label because chronologically, that is what I am. However, it's younger activists here in Indonesia who didn't want Sri Mulyani as VP, for the very reasons I gave.
Similar comments are being expressed about SBY's choice of Boediono, yet, as with Sri, I think our about-to-be re-elected President has made a very wise choice.
John has got one thing right, though. He's a troll and should go back to the hole where he allows his shallow misanthropy, his annoyance with others who dare to have different views from his, to fester.
I also in no way advocate support of the North Korea regime, far from it.
i think i did a good job being a troll, hopefull i'll reprise the role soonish! : )
lho? kok?
i choose not side anyone here since i know nothing on this issue.
the anon above (anon number two) was me, ok.
delvi, glad to know u'r keeping neutral : )
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