Politics

Trumpian trade wars, Argentina and Brazil edition

2 Comments / Economics, Politics /

Let me see if I understand the reasoning: 1. Argentina’s and Brazil’s governments have screwed up their economies over the years. 2. So they devalued their government-controlled currencies. 3. That means American farmers earn less on their exports to Argentinean and Brazilian customers. 4. So the US government will retaliate by taxing steel imports from Argentina and Brazil. 5. Therefore, steel-makers in Argentina and Brazil will earn […]

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Christian Socialism — source for quotation

Leave a Comment / Religion, Socialism /

The quotation posted yesterday: “Nothing is easier than to give Christian asceticism a Socialist tinge. Has not Christianity declaimed against private property, against marriage, against the state? Has it not preached in the place of these, charity and poverty, celibacy and mortification of the flesh, monastic life and Mother Church? Christian Socialism is but the

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YAL Silicon Valley talk today on how younger socialists think

4 Comments / News, Socialism /

Young Americans for Liberty is a dynamic student group with chapters all over the country, so I’m happy to be participating in this regional conference. The title and description of my talk: “Why Young Socialists Don’t Love Us — But They Should” Description: “The historical record of socialist poverty and brutality is clear, and we

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Against the new post-2016-Trump right too

3 Comments / Politics /

As part of my Neither right nor left mantra, another datum. Most people use “right” and “left” journalistically: to designate shifting bundles of social-political beliefs and attitudes. The bundles are usually not internally coherent. So more analytic thinkers try to bring order out of mush by identifying multiple dimensions of contrast: individual versus collective, liberty

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Socialism in 1803—Saint-Simon’s religious-authoritarian version

1 Comment / Socialism /

“Anybody who does not obey the orders will be treated by the others as a quadruped …. All men will work; they will regard themselves as laborers attached to one workshop whose efforts will be directed to guide human intelligence according to my divine foresight. The Supreme Council of Newton will direct their works.” (Source:

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