Words used in Chinese books illuminate how a nation’s values changed during economic reforms | UCLA
19 Feb 2015 Leave a comment
in Austrian economics, development economics, economic history, economics of media and culture, growth miracles, industrial organisation Tags: China, transitional economies
Use of the word “communal” rose sharply during the Cultural Revolution, especially from 1970 to 1976; it decreased during the 1980s. (China launched economic reforms in 1978, and they continue to this day.)
The word “autonomy” was used just one-third as frequently as “obedience” in 1970. In 2008, the ratio had flipped and “autonomy” appeared three times as much as “obedience.”
The increase in use of words like “choose,” “compete,” “private,” “autonomy” and “innovation” demonstrated a growing prevalence of individualistic values coinciding with sharp rises in urban population, household consumption and education levels.
Words reflecting communal values, such as “help” and “sacrifice,” declined in frequency.
via Words used in Chinese books illuminate how a nation’s values changed during economic reforms | UCLA.
The argument for liberty is not an argument against organization
08 Feb 2015 Leave a comment
in Austrian economics, F.A. Hayek, liberalism Tags: The fatal conceit, The pretence to knowledge
FA Hayek on the market as an engine of liberation, tolerance and social peace
06 Feb 2015 Leave a comment
What is the Fatal Conceit?
31 Jan 2015 Leave a comment
in Austrian economics, F.A. Hayek Tags: The fatal conceit
Hayek on why he got his key prediction right in the Road to Serfdom
23 Jan 2015 1 Comment
in Austrian economics, constitutional political economy, F.A. Hayek, liberalism, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA Tags: Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), Monday Conference, Road to Serfdom
This summary by Hayek of the contemporary meaning of socialism in the 1930s and 1940s was relatively accurate.
You must remember that clause 4 of the British Labour Party’s manifesto committing that party to the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange was only dropped relatively recently at the impetus of Tony Blair.
The Australian Labor Party still includes the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange as one of its objectives.
There were stronger divisions in the inter-war labour parties in Britain, Australia and New Zealand about whether the party should be committed to full socialism, Christian socialism or social democracy. It has been forgotten that the labour parties of Britain, Australia and New Zealand had many fall on the socialists within that party.
The Labour Party of Michael Foot in the 1983 British general election ran on a hard left manifesto, with Tony Benn and the Trotskyist entryist group Militant Tendency, which had several MPs, wanting a full socialist agenda in 1980s Britain.
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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