January 2012
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WatchRichard Wilkinson discusses the societal harms caused by income disparity. What is incredibly interesting though — is the implication of the data he presents. Societal problems, specifically mental illness and childhood wellbeing, is directly correlated to relative inequality. Wilkinson suggests that GDP per capita is actually less important than the magnitude of inequality within each...
September 2011
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Prosperity and Violence by Robert Bates
The ability to survive politically depends upon the capacity of others to produce economically.
Robert H. Bates
The formation of societies is a tricky business. On one hand, the power granted allows the ruling class the ability to impart policies that support economic growth and prosperity.
On the other, political directives ensure stability and security necessary for continued investment in the...
March 2011
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“Distributed wealth reduces the pressure for redistribution of wealth, which...”
– From a post on greentechmedia.com, the author was describing the need for energy independence and arguing for homeowners and businesses owning their own generation assets (renewables and even potentially nuclear). The quote sparked my interest though, because if everyone owns their own method for...
June 2010
1 post
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“Upper classes are a nation’s past; the middle class is its future.”
– Ayn Rand
May 2010
1 post
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March 2010
14 posts
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In a time of significant change, what are our...
I am a huge fan of Atlas Shrugged. Last night, my friend and I were talking about Dagny Taggart’s plight. How do you save your nation as it crumbles down upon you? When is it time to leave and join John Galt and the other industrialists?
I’m looking for real-life examples of people who have stayed and tried to fight for/against a political change in times of economic turmoil. Or,...
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Timeline of Historic Inventions →
Here’s a cool wiki showing the inventions over time… and yes since the dawn of time. It’s interesting seeing what inventions sprung up during unstable periods of history — virtually no innovation occurs in an area during a state of panic or war. Understandable, it’s really hard to focus on inventing the horse collar when the Visigoths are molesting your sister.
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“I insisted that our Cause could not expect me to become a nun and that the...”
– Emma Goldman
I’ve been reading a lot about “Red Emma” and a number of other radical females. I’m particularly intrigued by the aggressiveness exhibited by Emma and how quickly she was able to change her situation (from factory girl to dissident journalist). Perhaps it is...
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The Pop Culture Answer to the Problem →
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Which revolution was most impactful on its...
Pick one of the following or recommend your own!
Iranian Revolution (1979)
French Revolution (late 18th Century)
Bolshevik Revolution (1917)
American Revolution (1775)
Haitian Revolution (1791)
Cuban Revolution (1953)
The Chinese Revolution (1911/1949)
The Fall of Rome (476/1453)
Update:: currently looking more into the Brazilian economic situation in the 1970s/1980s… thoughts?
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Pre-Cuban Revolution Economics
Paul Walcutt: I would like to know what the economic situation was in Cuba from before the revolution of Fidel Castro. And can you give me some sites where this is also described?
Eric Williams (author of From Columbus to Castro: The History of the Caribbean 1492-1969, Vintage Books, New York, 1984): The economy was directly tied to the international price of sugar. US business interests owned 75% of the arable land on the island before 1959 and controlled 40% of the country's sugar production. Thsi more or less made Cuba a economic colony of the US with Bautista as the puppet leader. This relationship led to the widespread popular support amongst Cubans who gravitated towards Castro's movement.
http: //www.historyofcuba.com/cuba.htm
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If I was going to write a book, it seems someone... →
A book by the title of Revolutionary Economics… I’ll have to notify Amazon.
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Mises Economics Blog Talks American Revolution →
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What are the preconditions for maintaining a...
After major economic crisis, many societies morph into a socialist or communist community. What is it that has kept the U.S. from easily slipping down the same path?
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“Our inequality materializes our upper class, vulgarizes our middle class,...”
– Matthew Arnold (1822-1888)
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“An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all...”
– Plutarch
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