Friday, February 12, 2021

The great reset, part 1 and 2 — Haydar Khan


Neoliberalism 2.0.
In their Reset primer, Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret consider what the post–Covid world might look like at various levels of civilization. While the authors frequently inject their vague and utopian hopes and wishes for the post-pandemic world, they acknowledge the possibility that humanity could be headed for a dystopian nightmare. But they consider this bleak scenario only briefly, in all likelihood because it is inconvenient to their case. What specifically do the authors see or hope to see arising as a consequence of the pandemic? What alternatives do they ignore? Let us dig deeper into the Reset text.In their Reset primer, Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret consider what the post–Covid world might look like at various levels of civilization. While the authors frequently inject their vague and utopian hopes and wishes for the post-pandemic world, they acknowledge the possibility that humanity could be headed for a dystopian nightmare. But they consider this bleak scenario only briefly, in all likelihood because it is inconvenient to their case. What specifically do the authors see or hope to see arising as a consequence of the pandemic? What alternatives do they ignore? Let us dig deeper into the Reset text.…
Utopianism follows. The ownership class is going to lead the world to utopia?

Then there is MMT.

Further, Schwab and Malleret have a curious stance on Modern Monetary Theory, given they repeatedly advocate increased social assistance, health care, and social safety nets in general. The authors’ swipe is as follows:
The idea is appealing and realizable, but it contains a major issue of social expectations and political control: once citizens realize that money can be found on a “magic money tree,” elected politicians will be under fierce and relentless public pressure to create more and more, which is where the issue of inflation kicks in.
This is a misunderstanding of MMT, as its advocates are not magic money printers but supporters of full employment and price stability....

13 comments:

Andrew Anderson said...

This is a misunderstanding of MMT, as its advocates are not magic money printers but supporters of full employment and price stability... Tom Hickey

As if paying people to waste their time (via a JG) won't cause price inflation.

But yes, MMT is definitely not socialist but fascist via increased welfare for the banks and wage slavery to government to consume the time of the victims.

Peter Pan said...

Cull the herd. There are too many cooks and servants for the elite as it stands.

Peter Pan said...

Oliver T: "Please sir, may I have some more?"
Claus S: "MMT says yes, but Mother Nature says no!"

Matt Franko said...

“once citizens realize that money can be found on a “magic money tree,”

That’s not going to happen... you can’t correct a reification error with EVEN MORE figurative language...

Public will never substitute the current figurative language for simply a different figurative language... when has that ever happened?

Human cognition doesn’t work that way...

Andrew Anderson said...

"MMT says yes, but Mother Nature says no!" PP

Note that if MMT proposes to use taxation to curb consumption (to curb price inflation) then those taxes MUST fall on the non-rich since the rich don't consume enough to matter.

Matt Franko said...

Then those people would immediately get voted out of office if they raised taxes on middle class...

Andrew Anderson said...

Otoh, de-privileging the banks, by itself, would be massively DEFLATIONARY as existing bank credit was repaid without sufficient new bank credit to keep the money supply from shrinking.

That would allow a huge amount of new deficit spending/Citizen's Dividend just to keep the money supply from shrinking.

But the MMT School apparently can't conceive of de-privileging the banks even in our so-called "free market economy."

Peter Pan said...

The Great Resetters aren't talking about taxation to curb consumption. Carbon tax schemes are ample evidence of that failed approach. To end consumerism, the culture built to encourage it must end, which is a long process. Enter the need for authoritarian shortcuts.

Andrew Anderson said...

My question is how the MMT School plans to curb price inflation via taxation if not by taxing, directly or indirectly, consumers?

Peter Pan said...

Rationing is an alternative. Has nothing to do with MMT, but there you go.

Andrew Anderson said...

Yes, per the Bible, at least the rationing of land is justified since that is a necessity of life.

Ahmed Fares said...

re: Farmer Bill

America’s Biggest Owner Of Farmland Is Now Bill Gates

Bill Gates, the fourth richest person in the world and a self-described nerd who is known for his early programming skills rather than his love of the outdoors, has been quietly snatching up 242,000 acres of farmland across the U.S. — enough to make him the top private farmland owner in America.

After years of reports that he was purchasing agricultural land in places like Florida and Washington, The Land Report revealed that Gates, who has a net worth of nearly $121 billion according to Forbes, has built up a massive farmland portfolio spanning 18 states. His largest holdings are in Louisiana (69,071 acres), Arkansas (47,927 acres) and Nebraska (20,588 acres). Additionally, he has a stake in 25,750 acres of transitional land on the west side of Phoenix, Arizona, which is being developed as a new suburb.

According to The Land Report’s research, the land is held directly and through third-party entities by Cascade Investments, Gates’ personal investment vehicle. Cascade’s other investments include food-safety company Ecolab, used-car retailer Vroom and Canadian National Railway.


source: America’s Biggest Owner Of Farmland Is Now Bill Gates

Peter Pan said...

Rumor has it that Bill's dad was a eugenicist.