Title: Basic Income re JK Galbraith
Picking
up a book at the local library, my hand was guided to "A View
from
the Stands" by John Kenneth Galbraith. I never really
know how to classify
Galbraith whether as an economist, a liberal who
happens to be an economist
or a professional writer who recieved training
as an economist. Most of the
time when I mention Galbraith in
discussions with knowledgeable people, I
get a sort of look down the nose
as if he is not quite a first rank kind
of
academic.
Hi Thomas,
Whether people look down at their noses at
Galbraith shouldn't bother you. Just because he doesn't draw
indifference curves or write fancy equations does not mean he isn't a
good economist. I would say he is one of the best this century has
produced and if not one of the best economists, as professional economists
might judge their fellows, then certainly one of this century's most
effective thinkers. His big sin is that he has tried to make
big-ticket economic problems intelligible to the lay person by writing
readable books. Some of the things he has come up with may not be
provable in a scientific sense, but I can't think of much that I've read by
him that hasn't made me think. Making people think is probably the
most important thing anyone can do. Thanks for posting his stuff on a
a guaranteed annual income. It may revive some interest in the
subject.
I'm into reading history. Here is a
quote:
"The stinking puddle from which usury,
thievery and robbery arises is our lords and princes. They make all
creatures their property — the fish in the
water, the bird in the air, the plant in the earth must all be theirs.
Then they proclaim God’s commandment among the poor and say,
‘You shall not steal’ ... They
oppress everyone, the poor peasant, the craftsman ...
are skinned and scraped."
Who said it? Some disgruntled late 19th Century
Marxist? Why, no! It was Thomas Muntzer, one of the leaders of
the German Peasants' Revolt of 1525. He was a very interesting fellow
who believed that all property should he held in common and that it should
be used by people in accordance with their need. Naturally, he was
tortured and killed for believing such things. Similar things were
said in 1381 when the English peasants rebelled and, I'm sure, many other
times in history. What amazes me is how, in historic times and
contexts that are different yet surprisingly similar, things go round and
round and round and round and round ....
Best regards,
Ed Weick
