Wojtek
On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 9:56 AM, CHRISTOPHERR CARRICO
<ccarrico at temple.edu> wrote:
> From "A Crisis of Neo-liberalism or a Crisis of Captialism?" by
> Christopher Carrico
>
> “Is it possible for the current crisis to be resolved by a return to
> more ‘moderate’ capitalist policies such as those of Keynesianism or
> of the welfare state policies pursued by so many advanced industrial
> countries from WWII until the 1970s?”
>
> If we believe that current crisis of the economic system is a crisis
> of neo-liberalism, one possible way to resolve the crisis would seem
> to be a return to economic policies that would address the problem of
> under-consumption through jobs stimulus or through the expansion of
> the social safety net. Taxes could be raised on corporations;
> government could be directly involved in the business of jobs
> creation, for instance through investments on building infrastructure;
> and social welfare benefits could be expanded, rather than contracted
> as is currently proposed by the Republicans.
>
> As far as most American progressives are concerned, such a change
> would represent a return to the “normal” functioning of American
> capitalism, modeled on the situation that was true in the U.S. during
> the post-WWII economic boom. During this time there was strong
> economic growth, and this growth was accompanied by improving economic
> conditions for all classes.
>
> So why do Republicans so stridently oppose a return to the normalcy of
> Keynesianism or of the Welfare State? Why does Capital dedicate so
> much money and effort to making sure that taxes are not increased on
> the wealthy, that the last remnants of a social safety net are ripped
> away, that the last vestiges of organized labor (concentrated in
> public sector unions) are destroyed? Is it simply because they are
> greedy? Is it simply because they are selfish, or mean-spirited? I
> would suggest that the answer is not that simple. I would suggest that
> Capital, cannot, as Capital, concede to demands for a return to a
> social welfare state.
>
> See full post here:
> http://asitoughttobe.com/2011/12/11/insurgent-anthropologies-a-crisis-of-neo-liberalism-or-a-crisis-of-capitalism/
>
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