Monday, December 15, 2008

An Interesting Insight Into Greece

Greece is a country I do not know a lot of. Its been a bit interesting seeing its riots headline some of the news lately. Maria Margaronis writes a pretty good article providing some insight into the instability of Greece for the guardian.co.uk. Read it here.

7 comments:

Douglas Porter said...

Yeah, Greece is the model of the future. Low paying jobs, a pro-free market, corrupt central government, dissidents disappeared.

Josh said...

I hope you use the word "model" loosely.

It your assumption that government can provide a stable model for which society to live of course that is your major fault.

Greece is part of the EU, its not pro-free market.

Douglas Porter said...

Your assumption that the market can sustain society is your major fault.

Greece was left as the most conservative, pro-facist state after WWII by Western political architects. It only joined the EU recently. The Euro 700 generation tag is the result of 50 years of conversative, corruption, anti-union politics, just like the 2 dollars an hour in Mexico is the result of the capitalists operating in a labour-rich market.

Josh said...

How does "pro-fascist" equal "pro-free market"?

I'm not going to get into an argument with you over Greece because I do not know a lot about their history and do not really plan on studying it anytime soon.

I put this post up simply because I thought link describing why the civil unrest was occuring was interesting.

No state is a free market when the money supply is based on a fiat currency, by definition, a fiat currency requires central economic planning.

Douglas Porter said...

"How does "pro-fascist" equal "pro-free market"?"

Because pro-facist governments are opposed to unions, and hence leave the market free.

"No state is a free market when the money supply is based on a fiat currency, by definition, a fiat currency requires central economic planning."

Currency regulation is not the definition of a free market. Free trade of products and labor is.

You should get studied on Greece. It's a very interesting case study.

Josh said...

"Because pro-facist governments are opposed to unions, and hence leave the market free."

A free market would protect the rights of individuals to unionize. Being opposed to unions does not equal pro free markets.

"Currency regulation is not the definition of a free market. Free trade of products and labor is."

A monopoly on currency contradicts what a free market is.

Douglas Porter said...

"A free market would protect the rights of individuals to unionize. Being opposed to unions does not equal pro free markets."

This is where you are lying. A free market is the free trading of stuff; it has nothing to do with "rights". Free market does not equal classical liberalism, Josh. That is a eqivocation fallacy.

"A monopoly on currency contradicts what a free market is."

Sorry, but that will always be the government. Even a classical liberal republic has to protect its rights and property through the barrel of a gun. Currency management has always been fiat.