What election am I referring to – whatever one is next in whatever jurisdiction you are in. Yes I am talking about that which we dare not speak – the need to change our economic system before its ultimate collapse. Karl Marx predicted the collapse of capitalism, and it was
Continue readingTag: social democracy
Accidental Deliberations: Wednesday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Julia Doubleday offers a reminder that any remotely responsible definition of “living with COVID” would include doing everything reasonably possible to upgrade air quality. And Dylan Matthews discusses the prospect that UV light may help to reduce the spread of viruses generally –
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Is It Time For The NDP To Rebirth Itself
The North American right wing has been overtaken by a vile hateful Donald Trump inspired populist MAGA movement that has spawned the Freedumb Convoy types and infected the Canadian Conservative Party and what was once a principled conservative tradition in Canada, although you have to go back awhile to the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – The Canadian Press interviews Dr. Saqib Shahab about the need for Saskatchewan’s citizens to act responsibly in getting vaccinated and taking public health precautions in the absence of any remaining government protections. And Melissa Fuller writes about her conclusion that it’s untenable to
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Deborah Gleeson discusses how inequality in vaccine availability is making new variants an inevitability, while Joseph Stiglitz and Lori Wallach write that an intellectual property waiver is a must to ensure vaccines are available around the globe. And Rachel Cohen warns that
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – John Guyton, Patrick Langetieg, Daniel Reck, Max Risch and Gabriel Zucman examine (PDF) the massive amounts of money which people at the very top of the income distribution hide from revenue authorities. And Nancy Cook reports on Joe Biden’s plan to at least somewhat
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Happy New Years
Community My New Years Resolution for our society is to no longer worship at the twin altars of individualism and technology but rather to embrace the saviour of community. From the industrial revolution to the high tech revolution we have deluded ourselves that technology would solve all our problems. While
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Why Keynes was a socialist
In an important new book Keynes Against Capitalism: His Economic Case for Liberal Socialism (Routledge, 2019) James Crotty argues that Keynes was a socialist who advocated a much more radical economic agenda than most mainstream economists and political analysts realize. Based on a very close reading of Keynes’ work, Crotty
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Derek Thompson discusses how the U.S.’ capitalist system has been designed to squeeze younger workers – leading to many of them being open to systemic change. And in the context of UK Labour’s leadership campaign, Grace Blakeley writes about the need for socialists
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Abby Innes writes that the UK’s general election reflects a decision point as to whether to discard neoliberalism to serve the public, or democracy for the benefit of plutocrats. And Trish Hennessy looks at Cleveland’s move to ensure a democratic economic system, including
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Sabrina Shankman discusses new research showing how the climate crisis will affect today’s youth. And Bill McKibben highlights why we can’t afford to delay in reining in catastrophic climate change. – But Damian Carrington reports on fossil fuel extraction projections which far exceed
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Towards a Green Social Democratic Economy
Background/Context Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.[1][2][3][4] Characteristics central to capitalism include private property, capital accumulation, wage labor, voluntary exchange, a price system and competitive markets.[5][6] In a capitalist market economy, decision-making and investments are
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Plausible Socialism
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, there was a widespread sense that liberal capitalism had triumphed in the battle of ideas, and that socialism as a plausible alternative was pretty much dead. But the many crises of contemporary capitalism – obscene levels of economic inequality, looming ecological disaster, the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Ann Pettifor discusses the need for a Green New Deal to build an economy that’s both socially and environmentally sustainable. And Sharon Riley writes about the economic and environmental implications of impending public hearings into what might be the largest tar-sands mine
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta’s NDP borrowed more than export-cut threats from Peter Lougheed for yesterday’s Throne Speech
PHOTOS: Premier Rachel Notley speaks with well wishers in the Alberta Legislature Rotunda yesterday after her government’s Speech from the Throne was read by Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell. Below: Finance Minister Joe Ceci, Ms. Mitchell and Premier Peter Lougheed, back in the day. (Mitchell and Lougheed photos: Government of Alberta.)
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – David McGrane writes about Jack Layton’s five great fights – and how they continue to provide an essential framework for social democrats. – Rupert Neate reports on London’s “ghost towers”, which include tens of thousands of high-end homes sitting empty in a city
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Ed Broadbent discusses how Bernie Sanders offers an example to emulate – and in some cases a source of ideas well beyond what Canada has implemented so far: It was clear to everyone watching that Canadians, in fact, have a few things
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: What ‘New’ Democratic Party?
We are hearing that ‘Love is in the air’ and the New Democratic Party of Canada is facing the future to the beat of new drums. Everyone anticipates that this new day will start with the election of the new leader of the party. And if you believe all this
Continue readingParchment in the Fire: A Tale of Two Elections
Two extraordinarily different elections occurred last week in Europe. The first, of course, was the 2017 UK general election, which was nothing short of historic. The second, was the French parliamentary elections in the wake of what appeared to be an equally historic presidential election earlier in May. Despite what
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – The Star offers some lessons from the UK’s election, including the powerful appeal of unabashed social democratic policy. Aditya Chakrabortty discusses how Jeremy Corbyn has changed his country’s politics for a long time to come. And Gary Younge observes that the gains achieved
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