Since it's my first thread I'd like to introduce myself. I'm in the process of brainstorming for a Ph.D. dissertation proposal in the field of International Relations. More specifically Internationl Poltical Economy. Often the Libertarian and Austrian issues we read about focus exclusively on USA and Europe. However, SEA is a region full of countries with rather limited government when measured against percentage of GDP. Just as an example, Cambodia is one of the most Libertarian countries I've ever lived in. This is why I've chosen to advance the study of liberty in this region and put pen to paper on a 2-3 year research effort. I would therefore be extremly grateful to hear which issues you'd like to see explored. It can be the testing of a theory, a comparative study of two or more countries in the region, basically anything that springs to your mind. I'm looking forward to reading your suggestions ;-)
Best regards,
Harald
Welcome! Glad to have you here! And it sounds like you might be doing some great stuff!
Personally, I'd like to see more research, especially from an Austrian perspective, on education and/or health care. Specifically, things like number of private institutions v number of public ones, spending and costs of both, and and specific and comprehensive lists of regulations on these markets that affect the spending, costs, use, efficiency, etc.
Hope you stick around here!
The only one worth following is the one who leads... not the one who pulls; for it is not the direction that condemns the puller, it is the rope that he holds.
Internationl Poltical Economy and open source education. something to do with education and copyrights.
Maybe something to do with black markets providing people with more options?
More approaches from a sociological standpoint...less about abortion, nuclear weapons, and religion.
A study of the economic barriers and loan details imposed by the world bank on third world nations in exchange for loans.
Airlines and oil.
“Since people are concerned that ‘X’ will not be provided, ‘X’ will naturally be provided by those who are concerned by its absence.""The sweetest of minds can harbor the harshest of men.”
http://voluntaryistreader.wordpress.org
Thank you for the warm welcome and the suggestions ;-) Although health care is a little outside my area of interest (and knowledge) it's a topic worthy of studying. But by someone else.
Many countries like Singapore and Thailand have Universal health care. In Singapore they force you to buy insurance Massachusets style. In Thailand it's free but the state is heavily involved. They force the best doctors at private hospitals to work a couple of days a week at the governemnt run free institutions.
Other than that , I do not know much more.
Yes, I will stick around.
This is a topic that interests me a great deal. It's quite the paradox that in many South-East Asian countries, the government has constructed the same freedom encroaching market distorting laws that we have in the West. There's one major difference here though, there's always cheap black markets alternatives available. Corruption and payoffs means that the police turn a blind eye to a stall selling DVDs for $3 for example. Same goes for drugs, clothes and even Mercedes dealers that import original parts piecemeal to circumvent the governemnt's up to 200% import fee on foreign luxury cars.
This is a major topic and I'll see if I can come up with something more specific
Thank you for all the other suggestions. Keep 'em coming. I'm very gratefull for everyone's input.
Airlines & Oil: Could you be more specific?
IMF and loan conditions: You mean in relations to the '97 Asian financial crisis?
The rampant growth of South Korea
Harald Baldr:Although health care is a little outside my area of interest (and knowledge) it's a topic worthy of studying. But by someone else.
That is a real shame. I feel that out of all the topics of study, healthcare is one that the austrians need to put a major dent in, especially since it is such a contentious issue. I went digging recently, and all I could come up with were a dozen measly 5 page articles on the topic. You can certainly get far by debating it with praxeological theory; explaining the knowledge problem.
However, as far as hard facts and highly technical details, we lack good literature. Mises nad Rothbard have devoted a couple chapters, but I really want a full treatise on the topic.
Anyway, welcome to the forums. Cain't wait to see your work.
"If men are not angels, then who shall run the state?"
http://library.mises.org/books/Ludwig%20von%20Mises/Misess%20Suggested%20Research%20Topics,%201950-1968.pdf
There might be something worthwhile in there.
(Ludwig Von Mises institute.....I had to make sure someone suggested what Von Mises himself suggested)
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"Even when leftists talk about discrimination and sexism, they're damn well talking about the results of the economic system" ~Neodoxy
Certainly I think a study of Structural Adjustment Programs in African countries and their failure to produce many positive effects would be an interesting topic - from what i've read the majority of them (and based on the principles upon which they are formed) are self-contradictory, currency devaluation on the one hand, whilst minimization of inflation as two simultaneous remits of such policies, as well as artificially high interest rates (yes! artificially high!). could allow some room to deal with problems that are not normally in the remit of Austrian analysis (that is, the majority of ABCT being related to the effects of LOW interest rates) and also allowing to show that these "market-liberal" policies are not actually congruent with the effects they are trying to achieve, due to the apparent lack of understanding as to the causes of the phenomena which they are trying to stop. Don't know to what extent there is enough to analyse there, but I think it's also an important way to bring Austrian analysis more holistically to a stage at which it can be used to solve not only problems found in developed countries but also those, which could be considered of greater importance, in developing countries. Add to this some understanding of the differences (or similarities!) between the policies used by such governments for "development" and those used by wealthier countries, effects on capital accumulation, monetary policy, fiscal policy, market regulation, etc. and you could have something interesting to look at.