While perusing the internet late night on what was a relatively slow day for substantial news I happened upon a November 2008 article published in The Thinker entitled "On Corporatism and Capitalism". This article more clearly defines the problems with our current mixed economy and how a true free market competitive capitalistic system is in direct conflict with our current Corporatism.
As the article is well written, concise, and with pertinent links I an reproducing it here with full credit and acknowledgement to Jeffry Ellis at The Thinker.
| Regular readers of The Thinker will note that I've spent a bit of time lately defending free-market capitalism, in light of the recent financial crisis and $700B bailout. In this post in particular, I asserted that the most vocal opponents of capitalism — especially those who are blaming the current financial mess on "unbridled capitalism" — have refused to acknowledge and address capitalism's underlying values. This month's Cato Unbound topic touches on what I've been saying. The lead essay is now up, wherein Roderick Long (bio here) takes on the question of whether it is fair for libertarians to be characterized as corporate shills and big-business apologists: No and yes. Emphatically no - because corporate power and the free market are actually antithetical; genuine competition is big business's worst nightmare. But also, in all too many cases, yes - because although liberty and plutocracy cannot coexist, simultaneous advocacy of both is all too possible. Long blames three factors for the ongoing confusion between corporatist plutocracy (i.e., undue corporate influence over the political process) and a libertarian laissez-faire brand of capitalism: 1. Widespread agreement among liberals that laissez-faire capitalism and corporate plutocracy are the same thing. [They are NOT]. 2. A widespread tendency among conservatives to cloak corporatist policies in free-market speech, further confounding the two. 3. A tendency among many libertarians to reflexively dismiss many criticisms of corporate power as anti-market speech, when some of the criticism may indeed be well founded. This leads many libertarians to inadvertently defend features of corporatism. The net result of these three factors, says Long, is that: Those who are attracted to free markets are lured into supporting plutocracy, thus helping to prop up statism's right or corporatist wing; those who are repelled by plutocracy are lured into opposing free markets, thus helping to prop up statism's left or social-democratic wing. Those who advocate free-market capitalism should be more diligent and explicit — both in their own thinking, and in educating others — in making the case that free market capitalism and corporatism are INCOMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER. You cannot have true free market capitalism when corporations can lobby and make deals for protection, and subsidies, and bailouts, and favorable tax codes, and for any other mechanisms that tend to defeat or interfere with competition. Anyone who says otherwise is either misunderstanding free market capitalism (whether willfully or out of ignorance) or is cloaking their own corporatist agenda in free market rhetoric. (Link). |
The lIberal pRogressives would argue that laissez faire inexorably leads to Corporatism, and they are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. But Jeffry Ellis at The Thinker laughably argues that they are "incompatible" and "antithetical". All Lying Lester can say is he greatly admires the outstanding job Mr. Ellis did dissembling on the issue. This is the kind of bullshit that a Libertarian-inclined worshiper of wealth like Lying Lester eagerly lap up.
Which is why I did just that... believe that laissez faire does not inexorably lead to corporatism and plutocracy, but that they are "incompatible" and "antithetical", despite the fact that this IS NOT TRUE. Facts notwithstanding, Lying Lester believes it regardless. Because doing so furthers the noble goal of concentrating wealth at the top.
I'm cloaking my their own corporatist agenda in free market rhetoric just like Jefry (wink, wink). Lying Lester GETS IT.
And, believing these lies - or acting like you do - aids in the accomplishment of the goal of concentrating wealth at the top. By deluding simple-minded fools into accepting policies and courses of action that will further said goal. And they MUST be deluded into accepting the policies and courses of action that lead to concentrating wealth at the top because... if they knew this was the REAL goal they would reject said policies and courses of action.
Because who the f*ck desires plutocracy? Nobody but the wealthy who would rule under such a system. Them, and worshipers of wealth like Lying Lester. But Lying Lester LOVES the plutocrats, and this is why I like lies like those dissembled by Jeffrey Ellis... and why I repeat these (and similar) lies at my other blog, rAtional nAtion uSA.
A constant barrage of such garbage furthers the cause of brainwashing the weak-minded into believing Libertarianism isn't a tool of the wealthy elites DESIGNED to bring about plutocracy. Even though IT IS!! And Lying Lester, being a superior individual with a intellect much MUCH greater than yours KNOWS THIS.
But Lying Lester laughs at the fools who buy into such disinformation. Enslavement is freedom and handing great power and freedom to do as they please over to the corporations WON'T result in plutocracy - this is the kind of idiocy that only deluded morons assimilate. But Libertarianism would die a quick death if not for these morons.
It's a fringe ideology the way it is, which is why the subterfuge is necessary if your ultimate goal is tricking people into accepting the neofeudalism the wealthy elites strongly desire. This is why Lying Lester lies on rAtional nAtion. I am very proud to be a part of this plan; and very proud to be doing my part in transforming America into a plutocracy.
Not that we're not on the road to plutocracy already. We are. It's just that the Middle Class has not been completely destroyed yet. So, their is still work to be done.
Byline: The shocking admission put forth here was authored by Lord Lying Lester: Man of Reason (AKA Lester Nation). Purveyor of tall tails told in furtherance of advancing plutocracy. LLIN-084.
