Torben comments on Survey Results - Less Wrong

48 Post author: Yvain 12 May 2009 10:09PM

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Comment author: taw 14 May 2009 12:21:39AM 1 point [-]

By focusing on problems of government and ignoring problems of modern capitalism which has arguably far more influence (both positive and negative) on our daily lives, and upon which we have a lot less control, you're highly biasing the debate. It's not just you - I would say people in general are a lot more critical of government policies than of consequences of current form of capitalism (which has nothing to do with libertarian/econ101 fairytale free market).

As for European politics (I'm basing it mostly about Poland, UK, and Germany, as opposed to States, but my understanding is that the situation is very similar in most European countries):

Admirable nationalistic characteristics - never, that's purely American thing, European politicians tend to be extremely shy about national issues, there's no flag waving etc.

Rights-based claims - not really, you can hear often that some policies are unjust toward some group, or cause some group suffering, or some policies would be beneficial for some group, but it's pretty very rarely about abstract "right to X" like American debates are framed.

Talking about dangers of neo-liberalism - this happens, usually in terms of specific problem (like mistreatment of employees, or job loses, or environmental issues etc.), more often in realistic "companies only care about profit, so we need to regulate things about them that we care about", rarely in a generic "neo-liberal capitalism is bad", but why do you include it as ideological? Should neo-liberalism be a taboo subject?

Comment author: Torben 14 May 2009 09:35:00AM 0 points [-]

I agree on everything but the dangers of neo-liberalism. This seems to me to be ever present, also in relatively succesful countries like Germany and France. Boo neo-liberalism. A bit like inequality.

Ideology in the American sense is pretty much relegated to fringe movements.

I live in Denmark, but follow politics in major European countries.