The "measuring rod" of historical "correctness" for school textbooks in the Southern States instructed school boards and libraries to "Reject a book that says the South fought to hold her slaves." These criteria, enforced by state textbook selection committees in the South, became the de facto national norm for the U.S. due to commercial expediency.
So, Reich's question, "what happened to the moral core of capitalism?" can only be answered with a question: "what moral core?"Econospeak
The Moral Center of Capitalism and the Cornerstone of the Confederacy
Sandwichman
"Americans have been taught that their nation is civilized and humane. But, too often, U.S. actions have been uncivilized and inhumane". ~ Howard Zinn
ReplyDeleteReich: "An economy depends fundamentally on public morality;"
ReplyDeleteThis is a completely ABSURD statement only an ideologue with 0 technical ability could make a statement like this...
Reich is a moron he thinks we are "out of money" he is not qualified to be commenting on economic topics...
If technology can increase non-slavery system efficiency to a point that is more efficient than a slavery system, then slavery goes away....
@Matt, agree that Reich is a moron -- he has zero credibility after helping to cram NAFTA down our throats -- but even a broken clock is right two times a day.
ReplyDeleteWe would still have slavery today if the law allowed it. As Kalecki pointed out, economic behavior is as much about power as about economics.
Of course the functionality of a society depends on public morality. That includes the economy. The rule of law is the expression of the minimum standard of public morality. Professional ethics is the next level. But the culture itself is determinative of the public morality based on the level of collective consciousness.
ReplyDeleteThe level is very low in the US considering the rampant corruption and fraud at the apex of the political and economic/financial system together with a double standard of justice that gives those at the top immunity.