tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36646589.post2557875186308442740..comments2023-10-30T19:03:59.225+01:00Comments on David Seaton's News Links: When will this Mr. Smith ever go to Washington?David Seaton's Newslinkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00269813419598042699noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36646589.post-55962876063823195052010-04-29T19:34:04.194+02:002010-04-29T19:34:04.194+02:00On Adam Smith -
I highly recommend reading Wealt...On Adam Smith - <br /><br />I highly recommend reading Wealth of Nations. In addition to talking about the enlightened self interest of business people, he had a lot of other less pro business thoughts that don't often get the same press.<br /><br />"People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.”." -- in other words, business people will not compete but will collude wherever possible.<br /><br />He did not believe that corporations would ever rise to be the dominant form of organization, since the capital providers would not be able to trust the managers of the companies, who would use the company for their own personal benefit.<br /><br />He also advocated for progressive taxation on the grounds that the rich could afford it. His advocacy of free trade should be analyzed in the context of the time - it meant that he was against the landed aristocracy who had a protected market for wheat.Forensic economistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36646589.post-65128183403246467822010-04-29T18:47:38.683+02:002010-04-29T18:47:38.683+02:00Red states - apparently three or four elections ag...Red states - apparently three or four elections ago one of the networks colored the map red for Republicans and blue for democrats. So "red states" is an artifact of TV news. You can think of it as red neck states.Forensic economistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36646589.post-63819297190518028082010-04-29T18:19:34.891+02:002010-04-29T18:19:34.891+02:00David,
I've seen the 'other side' of A...David,<br />I've seen the 'other side' of Adam Smith discussed as you do here; e.g. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/mar/19/comment.politics1" rel="nofollow">here </a> and <a href="http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2007/07/morality-and-ec.html#more" rel="nofollow">here </a>. And lots of discussion here:<br />http://adamsmithslostlegacy.blogspot.com/<br /><br />But I doubt restoring meaning to words will do the job of restoring discussion or debate. My experience is that, in a political context, words have been severed from all meaning except as signifiers as to what team you're on: "free market" "big government" "cut taxes" etc. In the 'debate' over healthcare you just mention "Canada" or "single payer" to a Tea Party type and they look at you like you're a lunatic and walk away. They already know that you're the enemy.<br /><br />The right has been very successful in blaming all things bad - real or imagined - on "liberals" and "Democrats" by repetitively juxtaposing those labels against unpleasant sounding words - those evoking negative emotions. That was Gingrich's tactic in the early 90s and now the Right's current WordDoctor - Dr Frank Luntz. Truth, accuracy, meaning are to be avoided.<br /><br />See also the recent <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/4/19/858812/-The-Epistemic-Closing-of-the-Conservative-Mind-" rel="nofollow">post </a> from Billmon - I think his point is relevant.Mike Doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08883239399467042838noreply@blogger.com