“Green Fascism”
Posted on April 23, 2008 - Filed Under Environment/Conservation, Political Philosophy, Politics | 1 Comment
Here’s an interesting post about green politics and over-population. I think the writer overreaches in describing a concern with overpopulation as “fascist”. As long as you don’t make racist recommendations as to who should be allowed have kids, then a basic proposal that fewer people would be conducive to a healthier planet does not sound [...]
Ross Douthat on the Presidential Freak Show
Posted on April 21, 2008 - Filed Under American Politics, Blogging, Political Philosophy | Leave a Comment
Ross Douthat is, like Andrew Sullivan, an Atlantic writer and blogger. He’s a thoughtful conservative who writes very well and eschews the hysterics so typical of the political blogosphere. Given my liberal inclinations, reading his posts is generally a bracing experience, and frequently causes me to look at issues in a slightly altered light.
For instance, [...]
Bush, Democracy, and the Olympics
Posted on April 8, 2008 - Filed Under American Politics, Freedom, International Politics, International Relations, Political Philosophy | 2 Comments
W says he fully intends to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Beijing, even if the Chinese flatly refuse to negotiate or even speak with the Dalai Lama. This doesn’t really come as much of a surprise, but it does underlying the extent to which his pro-democracy posturing in the last 7 long [...]
Censorship, Islam & “Fitna”
Posted on March 29, 2008 - Filed Under Europe, Freedom, Internets, Media, Philosophy, Political Philosophy, Politics, Religion | 9 Comments
“Fitna” is the name of a rather nasty, polemical film by right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders that equates all Islam with violence and, portrays all Muslims as extremists. Or at least that’s what I gather based on the testimonies of those who have seen it. I can’t watch it myself because LiveLeak, the main channel [...]
An Anecdote for an Essay on Marxism
Posted on February 24, 2008 - Filed Under Political Philosophy | Leave a Comment
The make-work bias is best illustrated by a story, perhaps apocryphal, of an economist who visits China under Mao Zedong. He sees hundreds of workers building a dam with shovels. He asks: “Why don’t they use a mechanical digger?” “That would put people out of work,” replies the foreman. “Oh,” says the economist, “I thought [...]
