Keynes seems to me naive in expecting that this dangerously delusive behavior would just wither away.
>After all, "The bourgeoisie
>has... been the first to show what human activity can bring about. ...
> >Subjection of Nature's forces ...
And how. However, the basic issue concerns this:
>what earlier century had even a presentiment that
>such productive forces slumbered in the lap of social labor?"
But at what cost in terms of an atomized, commodified, stupefied society? I don't see that the tremendous prosperity that the U.S. has experienced has moved us one inch closer to being a society where -- as Keynes suggests is the logical consequence of capitalist advance -- people truly admire and are motivated by principles more elevated than the dog-eat-dog, whatever-it-takes values of the marketplace. On the contrary, U.S. society has gotten crasser and more selfish with rising affluence. Now, of course, that wealth is in grave danger. Clinton's glowing economic achievements have proved evanescent, the Bubba Bubble. Having crossed Bill's bridge to the 21st century, we find ourselves a nation where billionaires flourish as never before while most face growing job insecurity, a greater sense of social isolation and -- suddenly -- serious questions about savings for education and retirement. This doesn't say much for Keynes' vision of capitalist progress, and it offers no worthwhile economic model for aspiring nations.
Carl _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com