Thursday, August 6, 2009

Good people who really care

Arnold Kling, a free market economist, proposes an alternative to the commonly-used Left-Right political spectrum: a triangle with Libertarian, Conservative, and Progressive points, that—on economic issues at least—might more accurately describe ideological differences. I would fall between "L" and "C".
Think of three points on an ideological triangle:
  1. Point L, where you believe that markets are effective at processing information and solving problems. This position is to take a radically pro-market view, and to let markets fix their own failures.
  2. Point C, where you believe that tradition incorporates the evolved use of information to solve problems. This position is to be very cautious about overthrowing existing institutional arrangements.
  3. Point P, where you believe that expert technocrats should be in charge. You are comfortable with throwing out tradition and markets in order to cede power to experts.
Later Kling responds to those who claim that he mischaracterized the Progressive view:
Aw, gee, I am sorry I described L, C, and P in terms of how each type thinks social problems should be addressed. That is such a "straw man" view of progressives.

What progressives are all about is that unlike L's and C's who are cruel and mean, P's are really good people who really care.

There, does that provide a description that the P's can relate to?

Thanks to Joe Carter for the reference.

The Libertarian, the Conservative, and the Progressive, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty

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