Authoritarianism, Economic Liberalism and Moderation

I have always been a fan of mixed economies as being the only answer to rampant economic liberalism and rampant political and economic authoritarianism.

We, in the UK and US, are creeping ever closer to the former, whilst embracing Trumpian elements of the latter. No one seems to have the desire, or even the ability, to break up huge monopolies like we see in the tech world - like Amazon.

That capitalistic march towards individualism and nihilistic materialism is a threat to the fabric of society, I would argue. It's odd because I've often argued that neoliberalism (qua libertarianism) is incompatible with religion, for example. And so it is odd when American religious types embrace it as a formidable weapon against cultural and economic Marxism.

Though none have ever read Marx. And all of them appear to want to regulate what people do with their own bodies, and who they sleep with, and so on. And they want to regulate prayer into schools and church into the state.

So it's a complete mess.

But I don't want this to be a long piece. Indeed, all I am going to do is advocate reading what I thought was the most interesting article I have read in ages:

"The Triumph and Terror of Wang Huning" from Palladium, an admittedly liberalist source. But it really is a good piece, illustrating the dangerous poles of US neoliberalism and China's authoritarianism that is fighting back with a vengeance. Go read it. It's long but worthwhile.

That should be enough to get the discussion moving.

Whilst you are here, though, check this out in the UK: