Inkwell Institute
Professor’s Classroom
Subject: Political Theory/Economics
Paper #20
I believe it was Clinton or maybe one of his lackeys that came up with that line….but it is accurate….we cannot talk political theory without talking about the economy (for this post in general terms)……But beyond the cute saying…..NO study of politics could ever be complete without a study of economics….for these two are forever twined…..
Just look at any modern political campaign……and what are the main issues? 90% of them are involved with some sort of economic planning…yes I said planning….the USSR and other ‘socialist’ regime are NOT the only political system that has its planning phase….even here in the good old US of A…..think it is wrong? Then what to you call the plans to cut the budget?
As in almost all other subjects within political philosophy different ideologies view the economy in different lights…let us navigate through the major ideologies on the economy……the breakdown is pretty predictable….
Liberals see the economy as vital part of civil society and have a strong preference for a market or capitalist economic order hat is based on property, competition and material incentives. However, classical liberals (from the old days) favor laissez-faire capitalism which is the real free markets….modern liberals recognize the limits of the markets and accept limited economic management.
Conservatives show a clear support for private enterprise but have favored a limited pragmatic form of intervention to eliminate the free for all of laissez-faire and the risks of social instability. The “New Right” is embracing a unregulated form of capitalism.
Socialists, especially the Marxists, have expressed a preference for common ownership and absolute social equality, which is expressed in forms of state collectivism and state central planning. However the Social Democrats support regulated capitlaism, believing the market is a good servant but a bad master.
The Anarchists reject all forms of economic control or management….however the anarcho-capitalist advocates an entirely unregulated market economy……(NOT ALL Anarchists are bomb throwers….sorry to burst a bubble here).
Fascists have traditionally looked for a ‘third way’ for the economy……somewhere between capitalism and communism…….settling on the idea of corporatism, which draws labor and capital together in this so-called ‘organic whole’………It consists of nationalizations and planning in an attempt to subordinate profit to the needs of the nation……..(which never seems to work the way it is suppose to…kinda like socialism).
There you have the major ideologies and what the economy would look like if they were in control……once again the definitions are very simple in an attempt to make it a bit clearer to my readers….as you can see the economy and politics are linked together for all time…..one cannot study the one side of this equation and hope to grasp the complexities of governance…..
Afterword: I am NOT trying to sway anyone to my way of political thinking (though I would not object if it did) I just want my readers to realize that there are many ways to view different issues and that not all of us see everything in right or wrong……..
Yes – very good descriptions and a very good post.
I think it’s fair to say that communism and new conservatism (in the US), or perhaps even corporate anarchism are basically opposite ends of the spectrum. Communism in particular does as you say, see absolute social equality as a goal, but that’s not possible, not least besause the ruling elite or the vast bureaucratic machine required to run the system would not accept it. The same applies to economic equality, which is often seen as being equivalent (though it’s no more practical). However equal you try to make things, some people will always be more equal than others – it’s just a reality – a law of physics almost!
If it’s fair to say all that (roughly), then the problem with both systems is that they leave the vast majority of people with nowhere to progress to – with no hope for the future – and therefore no aspirations – and that will always ultimately destroy the system.
However, the reason I say this is simply that you (and Clinton/whoever) are 100% right under any system at all, it’s ALWAYS the economy stupid and it always WILL be.
But that’s the point that most people don’t seem to get – a country is just like a household and you cannot keep on borrowing, or spending more than you earn or everything is guaranteed to come crashing down around your ears sooner or later. However, if the household has a good income and manages to live well within it’s means, THEN it can look forward to a good, bright and increasingly good future.
I would have said not, but it seems that IS rocket science to some – shame!
A great comment, as usual, but this time you are spot on……Americans need to GROW UP! Whether you prat in school or own a gun has NOTHING to with the governance of the country. Today they are yelling about jobs but if that was solved then they would go back to their worthless guns and the religious bullshit.
Yes, economics can be rocket science, but if we would teach it in a simple way thru school it would be a different thing altogether….once they get into the “real” world it is way to late to try and understand how the economy works…
What happened to England at the Cup? I expected the USA to go down but England? Looks like the teams that are playing as a team are doing better.,…stars are that in their own minds and does not necessarily mean they can win…personal opinion…..
Lots of highly (over – way over?) paid and skilful players all doing their own thing and finding it almost impossible to cope with 11 guys in opposition who actually played as a team. RUBBISH! They deserved what they got – hammered!
People (as ever) blame the manager and he must take some of the responsibility, but you can only do so much when all you have is sh*t to work with…
They weren’t just bad – they were utter crap and a Sunday league team playing TOGETHER would probably have done as well or better.
On the field Egland had no defence and the teams utter failure is INDEFSIBLE. I can’t find a single excuse for them – professionals my arse!
I agree….France and Italy were suffering the same illness…….it looked like England was just a pack of dudes running around a futbol field…..I agree about the coach……blame should be on the prima donas that just wanted the spotlight……