markets – Page 2 – Gus diZerega

Complexity and the Dream of Human Control of Eco-Systems

Posted on July 10, 2014September 21, 2019 by Gus

Complexity and the Dream of Human Control of Eco-Systems

Gus diZerega

Watson, Alan; Dean, Liese; Sproull, Janet, comps. 2005. Science and stewardship to protect and sustain wilderness values: Eighth World Wilderness Congress symposium; 2005 September 30–October 6; Anchorage, AK. … Read more

Antibiotics and the Market: One more example of the bankruptcy of libertarian ideology

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Gus

Libertarians and ‘free market’ advocates in general claim that markets reflect people’s decisions and values better than any other social institution, and so ‘freedom’ is maximized when markets are ‘unfettered.’ The New Scientist for May 24 has an important example … Read more

Private prisons as an example of the bankruptcy of libertarian ideology

Posted on April 17, 2014April 19, 2014 by Gus

As a young man I was a libertarian. In time the accumulated problems with the ideology led me to abandon it. But I remain a believer in its most fundamental moral insights (and argue libertarians haven’t any real understanding of … Read more

Confusions about contract and freedom in libertarian and free market thinking

Posted on October 21, 2013October 21, 2013 by Gus

Libertarians argue a free society is a contractual society, one based on agreement between equals rather than force by the strong against the weak. In my view they are correct. But I have long since ceased to call myself a … Read more

A response to Nathan Goodman on democracy

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Gus

Nathan Goodman provided an interesting criticism of my post on democracies not being states. His argument requires a lengthy discussion to address properly. Further, the discussion format on this site seems to hate paragraphs, so such a response would … Read more

The meaninglessness of the term “free market” in contemporarty political debate

Posted on July 22, 2013July 23, 2013 by Gus

This post argues use of the term “free market” in almost all contemporary political debate is at best inaccurate and often a positive hindrance in understanding contemporary issues.

Advocates of capitalism continually intone the term “free market” and then, with … Read more

Exploring economic freedom as if freedom and people actually mattered

Posted on July 20, 2013August 26, 2013 by Gus

Two quotations, juxtaposed, summarize the errors into which modern American defenses of ‘free markets’ and capitalism have entered. In the process these errors led to abandoning any real meaning for liberty or human well-being. Right wing libertarians in particular sincerely … Read more

Understanding Democracy, part III: Democracy as a spontaneous order

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Gus

I was out of town at our first “Cosmos and Taxis” conference in Vancouver, BC. Now that I am back I am picking up my series of mini-essays on what democracies are and why so many do not understand them.… Read more

What Libertarians can add to American life – if they take the time to understand their principles

Posted on April 24, 2013May 2, 2013 by Gus

UPDATE 4/26, 5/2

I have written a number of critiques of libertarian thinking recently, one a chapter in a just published book, and several shorter pieces on this blog. Along the way I have emphasized I agree with their fundamental … Read more

New Discussion at W&P: How libertarians can make sense for Pagans (and everyone else)

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Gus

Libertarian Pagans at Witches and Pagans have pretty much avoided my arguments regarding libertarianism and its shortcomings, arguing that libertarianism often seems preferable to what we have now – a position I sometimes agree with. More disturbing is their apparent … Read more