Tag Archives: capitalism
Notes and commentary on Karl Polanyi’s The Great Transformation (Part 1)
We all have those books – the ones we know are good for us but have remained on the bookshelf for years (or decades). Thankfully, Karl Polanyi’s The Great Transformation is now one of those books that I can return to my bookshelf with the satisfaction that I’ve finally read one of the masterpieces of economic […]
David Stockman on Crony Capitalism
If anyone knows about “crony capitalism”, it’s David Stockman. Stockman was a Republican stalwart and budget director for Ronald Reagan who helped shape Reagan’s failed campaign of supply-side (or trickle-down) economics. In the following interview with Bill Moyers, Stockman discusses the fundamental corruption of the American politico-economic system. His assumptions are still quintessentially capitalist, but […]
The Shock Doctrine Documentary
Though it’s been out for a few years, the documentary on Naomi Klein’s The Schock Doctrine remains a powerful and illuminating summary of her ideas. I thought I’d post it again. Klein has faced some criticism by those you might consider to be her natural allies on the progressive left. Perhaps it’s because she is an […]
The Alberta Advantage?
Over the last decade, there has been a lot of talk about the Alberta Advantage (aka the Alberta Miracle). Alberta boosters would puff with pride because Calgary had more head offices than Vancouver and other Western cities. It wasn’t just because of the oil patch, they assured us; it was because of prudent diversification and […]