Tag Archives: Milton Friedman

The Rise of the American Oligarchy

Posted on October 1, 2023 by greg

America is on the road to being run by oligarchs: creating a system of government where a small number of elites rule. Continue reading →

Posted in economic inequality, neoliberalism | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Big Data Accountability and the Challenge of Institutional Discrimination

Posted on August 1, 2020 by greg

Discrimination can include comments, actions or decisions that make people feel unwelcome or uncomfortable, based on their identity or ability. It can also include policies, rules, and ways of doing things that knowingly or unknowingly disadvantage some groups of people, … Continue reading →

Posted in economic inequality | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Wages Stopped Rising: Unraveling the Libertarian Movement

Posted on April 1, 2020 by greg

The first well-developed statement of libertarianism, An Agreement of the People (1647), was produced by the radical republican Leveler movement during the English Civil Wars (1642–51). Presented to Parliament in 1649, it included the ideas of self-ownership, private property, legal … Continue reading →

Posted in economic inequality | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Lessons Learned from Alfred Russel Wallace’s Interactions with Flat-earthers and Bell Curve Enthusiasts

Posted on March 20, 2020 by greg

Alfred Russel Wallace is best known for independently conceiving the theory of evolution through natural selection; his paper on the subject was jointly published with some of Charles Darwin’s writings in 1858. When he died in 1913, he was the … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Unitarian and Social Anarchist Ideas Could Complement One Another

Posted on February 20, 2020 by greg

More and more people are asking why laissez-faire economics does not appear to work, and are questioning the theories that support the free market system. This brings the neoliberal project under scrutiny, including the necessity for less taxes and regulation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Well-being Agenda: Measuring Economic Progress

Posted on August 1, 2018 by greg

In a distinct vision of the good society envisioned by Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman or Gary Becker, individual liberty and freedom can best be protected and achieved by an institutional structure, made up of strong private property rights, free markets, … Continue reading →

Posted in economic inequality | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Good Society: An Alternative Vision of Progress

Posted on July 10, 2018 by greg

When John Locke made his pronunciations in the 18th century, the ideal of an autonomous individual was embedded in a complex system that included family and church on one hand, and on the other a vigorous public sphere in which … Continue reading →

Posted in economic inequality | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Rise of the Kleptocracy: America’s Security Threat

Posted on June 1, 2018 by greg

Milton Friedman’s neoliberal triumvirate of privatization, deregulation – free trade, and drastic cuts to government spending laid the groundwork for Reagan economic policies of deregulation that began in the 1980s. This, in turn, launched globalization which was supposed to undermine … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Economy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Introducing Change While Respecting the Individual

Posted on May 20, 2018 by greg

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), an English philosopher, is principally known for his principle of utilitarianism, which evaluates actions based on their consequences. Bentham believed, motivated by pleasure and pain, people value self-interest above social interest. He maintained that putting his moral … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Economy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Debate on the Science Behind Economic Choices

Posted on July 1, 2017 by greg

The choices you face in the ordinary business of your life – buying clothing, deciding what to eat, or seeking a job all involve considerations of cost, scarcity, and tradeoffs with other options – are economic decisions. The Enlightenment of … Continue reading →

Posted in economic inequality | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment