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The Specter that Haunts Economists – Social Justice
I occasionally read, not in a systematic or deliberate fashion, articles or larger studies on economic inequality, poverty, the free-market (or, by way of opposition, less free), democracy, freedom, and the like. It is obvious that a reflection, especially at this high level of generality and abstraction is conducted quite metaphysically, that is, based on pre-reflective assumptions going to beliefs, on the one hand, and theory-laden, on the other hand. I am aware of these two unavoidable conditionalities and I am trying, as much as possible, to compensate for them in the analyses and the conclusions I draw, so establishing a degree of honesty for the authors in case. But the problem is of another kind, namely that the pretentious concepts mentioned above are, at most times, discussed in a common (“civilian”) framework, with a thin background of political theory, or social philosophy, or ethics or, above all, social justice theory. This means either the authors deliberately use a pop style (although, in my opinion, popularization is a more difficult labor than the original one, because it must make compatible both the correctness of concepts/issues discussed and the accessibility of ideas for non-experts) or simply those authors do not hold the minimum necessary background in the matter at hand. It is known that the imprecision (and, sometimes, even the misunderstanding) has the potential to illuminate ideas or directions not intended by the original work, and is just as true that, often, ones who know little in a field can enact revolutionary ideas, exactly because they did not (yet) “gain” the prejudices of that field. But such eventualities are extremely rare and I cannot (no matter how much goodwill I would have) give credit to writings that lead so very important subject into an unintentional (I hope) desultoriness. More
The Saga of Income Inequality: A Three-Dimensional Problem and a Non-Existent Solution?
Income and wealth disparity is one of the defining problems of our time. In sophisticated economies, the wealth gap between the rich and the poor is at an all-time high. Inequality developments in emerging markets and developing nations have varied, with some countries experiencing declining inequality while others continue to experience entrenched disparities in access to education, health care, and finance (Gradín, 2021). As a result, governments and scholars are debating the extent of inequality, its origins, and what to do about it. More
Poetic Inquiry into Human Thought Foundations (II)
Modern power dynamics are a continuation of a past in which liberty was not a principle to be taken into account by then-leaders. Former times constituted a division between dictatorial societies and authoritarian civilizations. The variation of the degree of statism depended on political movements succeeding one another. History tells us that this perpetually change does not follow a logical slide from a democratic government form to an authoritarian, then dictatorial one. Regardless of this, the giving up of freedoms is an “encouragement” for corruptible power centres to go on with their policies, until a state of anxiety, then fear, instils into a disoriented people. Whatever a “golden pencil” writes is holy, is “for the people” and can hardly be contested, unless one wants to become an enemy of state commanders. More
“The Market for Polities”: On International Institutional Competition
The Role of State in Varieties of Capitalism conference – SVOC2021 – was organized by the Institute of World Economics of the Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Budapest, Hungary and Democracy Institute of Central European University.At this years’s edition, I have delivered a presentation entiled “The Market for Polities”: Citizens’ Welfare (as Consumers of Public Goods) by Way of States’ Competition (or Cartelization), that was based on a paper written together with Mihaela Iacob. More
Those Old, Outdated Symbols
Z was walking down the path to the old, ragged buildings he had visited some time ago. He was eager to show his friend the intriguing site. The weird old gate and the crumbling edifices always held some fascination for him. He was anxious every time he was there, but he did not understand why. So, instinctively, he felt he wanted to see if his friend might have the same reaction. More
Inability to Govern or Ability Not to Govern?
These days, our society is the hapless witness of an odd (although not absolutely novel) behaviour of the political class regarding the act of governing – an irrepressible desire and willingness to govern for the good of society, which springs from public declarations, and, at the same time, a stubbornness in designing the government/governing for their own private interest and good, which is easily inferable from the (more or less public) actions. Although the politicians must, most of the time, deliver on their promises to the public, based on the confidence from that public that they will accomplish what has been promised, this time we see, in fact, only a competition between the two parts which are engaged in the political fight, to better convince the public regarding their true intentions and purposes (which are, of course, well masked). More
The American Empire: A Subtle Transition
My study, Rise and Fall of the American Empire to be published in January 2022 by En Route Books and Media, publisher of my recent book, Ennobling Encounters, is based on a premise: The country that was new in 1789, when its Constitutional order was ratified, no longer exists.As a consequence, the written Constitution of the United States which intended to order and organize our politics has been challenged to a breaking point.That development was hastened by the collapse in 1991 of America’s nemesis, the Soviet Union. But tensions and divisions in American society had been long coming largely as a consequence of the many wars of the 20th century. More
The Geopolitical Gamble Between Global Digitalisation and Green Trends
Ever since mankind first began applying its reasoning and inventiveness towards manipulating the elements of its natural environment to suit his needs and want, humanity became engaged in a profound, mutually transformational relationship with nature. Man’s surrounding environment heavily influenced man’s views and beliefs about his origins, role and purpose in this world as well as the origins, role and purpose of the world and the cosmos. While man’s needs and beliefs led him to explore new ways of meeting his existential (food, shelter etc.), individual (artistic expression, occupational needs etc.) and transcendental needs (religion, cosmogony, the search for ultimate meaning and what lies at the roots of reality etc.), the impact of the human species on the planet began to take shape, slowly but surely over many millennia and generations, growing ever more complex as man’s knowledge, tools and needs grew in breadth and depth. More
Poetic Inquiry into Human Thought Foundations (I)
The argument for a multidisciplinary approach to comprehension of human thought and its translation into action seems to be irreproachable, as it demonstrates a thorough knowledge of sociohistorical phenomena and their propagation across times marked by remarkable events aplenty. However, the crossover of arts – of which da Vinci probably is the most telling example – is not as common as this much more common and mere “intellectual multilateralism” of appealing and borrowing from different fields of knowledge. Could there possibly be anything more beautiful and sublime than a sculpture represented in a wondrous painting More
Russia’s Game in the Sea of Azov
Since its declaration of independence in 1991, Kiev has identified the situation in Crimea as a national security vulnerability in the wake of the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s presence in Sevastopol.Negotiations with Moscow, completed in 1997, laid the groundwork for a treaty that would resolve the Soviet legacy, with Russia receiving 81.7% of the fleet while Ukraine only 18.3%, or 87 vessels and one submarine. More
Is Bitcoin the Costly Highway?
Bitcoin has recently reached a new all-time high in terms of USD, going over $ 62,500. Just as every other time it has happened, this time again there are voices that rejoice the feat and numerous others that decry its sheer volatility, bubble behaviour, deflationary character and, most of all, humongous costs and energy consumption.One tool that monitors Bitcoin’s energy consumption, Cambridge Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index estimates that Bitcoin’s share of the world consumption of electricity is 0,49%, close to 109 TWh annually. More
Through Scientism to Neo-Paganism. On Millennialism of the Ecological Rite
The environmentalist ideology tends, in my opinion, to supplant what was referred to as “political education” during the communist era (Marxist humanism or the Marxist concept of education). It is explicitly or implicitly covered in the kindergarten and elementary school curricula. However, neither high school nor college are spared. Furthermore, few believe that this fact warrants attention because, after all, what could be wrong with environmental awareness? Environmentalism appears to be a completely harmless discipline that encompasses all aspects of life: nature, animal species, pollution prevention and cleanup, tree planting, waste reduction, and recycling. Teamwork, “extra-curricular” activities, activism, walks, outdoor excursions and volunteerism are all included. Irresistible to children, adolescents, and decent, sensitive women. Once again, there is no way to fail. It is especially true as preoccupations can develop an aura of serious activity, public commitment, and even a genuine green apostolate over time. Moreover, when it comes to the apostolate, even for religious persons or believers, the concept does not appear – and can hardly appear – to be in the slightest bit suspicious[1]. It is all due to the idea that man is merely God’s messenger at the helm of the created world, which he should treat with respect and reverence rather than mockery. More
