Current Events

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Wibee — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 18:47:50 GMT

5) Third World workers working for American companies overseas are being exploited (unenlightened answer: agree)

I disagree. It depends on the definition of exploitation. I can't assume these businesses are operating as a free market. Some companies violently crash unionization. Do companies violently force people to work? I do not know the answer to this.

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Skyler Collins — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:47:31 GMT

My bad, here's something from The Freeman by Hans Sennholz: http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/protectionism-and-unemployment/

I found this through my search engine www.libertysearch.info.

Skyler.

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Scrooge McDuck — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:27:25 GMT

@Skyler, I have seen that video, but it doesn't address the claim that it doesn't lead to further unemployment, which the survey asked.

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Skyler Collins — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:23:52 GMT

@Cal 0, here's a brief overview of the benefits of free trade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfE2HO8p3FE&feature=player_embedded

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Sieben — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:10:39 GMT

I'm pretty sure the liberals didn't have in mind the 1990 Card and Kreuger studies... which are seriously cooked

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Scrooge McDuck — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:10:33 GMT

Care to comment on my argument? I'm trying to win an e-debate on another forum. =D

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Skyler Collins — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:08:59 GMT

@Cal 0, here you go: http://www.amazon.com/Choice-Fable-Trade-Protectionism-Updated/dp/0130870528

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Scrooge McDuck — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:00:57 GMT

What is the argument that free trade doesn't lead to unemployment? Increased trade equals increased efficiency which means individuals will have more money to spend, and therefore increased demand for other goods/services?

Someone spell it out for me, please.

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Vichy Army — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 06:10:08 GMT

Because states have an epistemic problem of systemic ignorance, not knowing what they do not know, which generates an arbitrariness in thier actions that is not suffered by markeet sectors.

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Joe — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:14:29 GMT

I thought the monopoly question was strange, but not for the reasons that are brought up. Its like what is the point of the question. Who would get that wrong? I didn't know that any reasonable person would think that was a monopoly.

I think it should have been framed more to expose fallacies like the 'monopolies can engage in price slashing to drive out their competitors and then raise prices"

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

William — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:10:25 GMT

On my intuition, I think the left has quite a bit of elitism, scientism,and subjectivism in its crowds. In fact any more I would think that they are the main fuel for the left. Yeah, they have their hippies and others who think with their hearts (and other parts of the body) but I don't think the majority of them are in any position that matters.

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Fox McCloud — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:10:38 GMT

the second one is interesting, but the first one isn't worth a dime to read--he states that the minimum wage is a positive thing by citing the ultra-questionable Card & Kreuger "study".

I'm glad to know a few points from the second one, namely the questions that were chucked completely, but there's others that are unfairly criticized; for example the market share one--it's fairly clear that the question is asking if a company is a monopoly merely by having the largest/majority market-share, meaning if you control 20% of the market and all your collective competitors controlled 80%, you could still be defined as a "monopoly" because you have the largest single market share.

Thanks for the info though.

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

E. R. Olovetto — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:55:01 GMT

I didn't read the Marxist? one but Nate Silver (538) is pretty reliable IMO. I didn't realize the problems with some of the questions, or that they arbitrarily threw half of them out. Still, I think that even if you improved the poll, it would be roughly the same but not so bad for the leftists. You could further break down the "libertarian category" and approach zero too =)

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

Joe — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:37:49 GMT

the responses:

http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-chait/75399/study-proves-libertarian-economists-ignorant

^ is this guy a marxist?

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/06/are-you-smarter-than-george-mason.html

Re: Apparently the stereotype is true...

E. R. Olovetto — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:13:54 GMT

So does economic ignorance cause leftism, or leftism cause economic ignorance?

I'm inclined to think its the latter. Fashion trumps real personal development.

Sometime, read at least the first few pages of Spencer's Education (free on mises.org IIRC) and think of the 2008 elections, or electoral politics in general.