JW Mason relays a pathetic argument for austerity out in the Financial Times. The basic thrust of the argument, as Mason’s title mockingly summarizes, is that austerity is good for the soul. Austerity, which here just means having less, will lead to better health by limiting food access. It will promote “common purpose and comradeship.”… Continue reading Austerity for the gander
Month: March 2013
Cultural hegemony and the naturalness of property
That property institutions are socially constructed is so perfectly obvious that it hardly needs arguing. What else are they if not constructed? Did they exist before human beings existed? No surely not. Did they pop into existence as soon as that first creature with human-like DNA was born? Was it at that instant moment that… Continue reading Cultural hegemony and the naturalness of property
A fascinating argument against primary education vouchers
I was watching a school voucher debate on an old episode of the The Firing Line. One of the opponents of moving to the voucher system made an interesting point. It’s a point I have heard quite often actually, but one I have never put much thought into. It goes like this: switching to a… Continue reading A fascinating argument against primary education vouchers
Me at Demos
The good folks over at Demos have given me an opportunity to write for their Policy Shop blog. So I will begin posting relevant things over there. Those things not relevant to their blog will of course keep coming here. If you want to keep track of what I am writing here and there, I… Continue reading Me at Demos
Individual responsibility and situations
Michael Bloomberg’s recent attempts to reduce soda sizes and now to prohibit visually displaying cigarettes in stores have generated a great deal of comments on all sides. These are the kinds of basic policies that basically everyone feels comfortable chiming in on, which is fun. One popular view has been that these regulations are paternalistic… Continue reading Individual responsibility and situations