Neo-liberalism

Dear Paul

I really don't have the time to go into your responses, suffice to say that 
your
argument is weakened not by its substance, of which there is very little, 
but by
your constant anti-communism. Using YOUR logic, if murder is bad, then rape 
has
to be better; I can't be dragged into this now, maybe next time. Perhaps you
should try explaining why you think neo-liberalism is so good; unless you 
are
running direct comparisons, don't prop up your argument on the basis that 
it has
to be better because it is not communism - that may be a sign of 
intellectually
weakness.

The problem with singling out one regime or system for its weaknesses and or
brutality is unfair; Human beings, communities, collectivities, individuals,
states, governments and others have historically been brutal, social 
scientists
have grappled with this for decades. Saint Just wrote: Nobody rules 
guiltlessly.

Also, I am a bit tired of the constant references to what the Soviet Union 
did
wrong - it represents such intellectual and ideological occlusion. For 
example,
most of the more brutal murders of the 20th Century were not committed by 
the
Soviet Union. Most of the invasions of sovereign states during the 20th 
Century
were not by the Soviet Union. Most of the economic sanctions that strangle
economic growth in developing countries (from South Africa to Cuba to Iran) 
were
not placed by the Soviet Union. The two Second World War holocausts (Hitler 
and
Hiroshima) were not by the Soviet Union. The murder and repression in Chile
during the eighties were not by the Soviet Union. The system of apartheid 
and
all its evils were not committed by the Soviet Union.

Maybe your contributions will be taken a bit more seriously if they weren't 
so
myopic.

I will make on point though. Your suggestion that neo-liberalism "orders
society" is frightening and represents a kind of economic darwinism. Maybe 
you
should ruminate on what you said.

Good luck with your intellectual endeavours. I look forward to your posts. 
When
I have more time I will engage them; they remind me of those questions that
befuddle you to the extent that you have no answers, to the extent that you
stare at the questioner and say: How on earth can I engage this....?

Ismail


Ismail Lagardien
Office of the Chief Economist and
Senior Vice President of
Development Economics
The World Bank
Washington DC
USA

202 473 9603

Visit the World Bank Chief Economist page at:
http://www.worldbank.org/knowledge/chiefecon/index.htm