We have all been inspired, from time to time, by the moving statements of Native Americans, and other aboriginal speakers, about their deep and abiding relationship with the land. Here’s one: What is this you call property? It cannot be the earth, for the land is our mother, nourishing all her children, beasts, birds, fish… Continue reading Earthsharing
Progress and Poverty: Confronting Economic Inequity in America
Progress and Poverty-How Henry George Confronted Inequality from Robert Schalkenbach Foundation on Vimeo. Panel Discussion, “Progress and Poverty: Confronting Economic Inequity in America,” marking FDU Press publication of The Annotated Works of Henry George: Progress and Poverty, Volume II, edited by Francis Peddle and William Peirce with Alexandra Lough, with panelists Mary (Polly) Cleveland, environmental economics, Columbia University,… Continue reading Progress and Poverty: Confronting Economic Inequity in America
Boom Bust: Economic Cycles are Land Cycles
This is an introductory slide show explanation of land’s role in the business cycle.
Three Secrets About Unemployment and Jobs
I felt terrible that morning, so I called in sick. But as soon as I set down the phone I started feeling better. So I went out to the shopping mall to take care of an errand. A weekday morning. The mall will be quiet, empty, peaceful, and I’ll get a great parking place, right?… Continue reading Three Secrets About Unemployment and Jobs
The Ball and Chain Economy
Things must be getting pretty dull when the Fed’s interest rate report tops the headlines, but there it was: front-page hoopla over Chairman Bernanke’s bold announcement of a sweeping new strategy. Interest rates will remain very low indeed, he said, until unemployment goes below 6.5 percent. Well, Shoot Me Now. While I gather my thoughts… Continue reading The Ball and Chain Economy
what is a job, really?
In the argot of politicians, a “job” is a commodity, like a pork belly, or a widget. “We created eleventy-umpteen new jobs on my watch,” says the incumbent to raucous applause — as though they came freshly-stamped out from the line at the Acme Jobs Plant. But what is a job, really? What does it… Continue reading what is a job, really?
Free Trade and Jobs
“Free Trade” is blamed for all kinds of bad things, these days. There is a notion out there that the Free Market cannot be trusted, that left unfettered, it will enable Greedy Corporate Capitalists to plunder and exploit workers everywhere. That’s a very tempting bandwagon to jump on, because the One Percent do seem to… Continue reading Free Trade and Jobs
Camden Blues
It’s amazing how we calmly accept the most absurd things, simply because they’ve been that way for a while. Today’s example is the notion that cities are nasty, brutal, crime-ridden places packed with poor people. Why should it be in what way? What makes it that way? No idea; it’s just how things are, in… Continue reading Camden Blues
A Most Harmonious Disagreement
Economists seem to be pretty good at consolidating corporations’ profits, yet they seem powerless to address persistent social problems such as persistent poverty and climate change. Why is mainstream economics so inept? Could it be that the key factor they’re missing is right under their feet? Modern-day Economics Many students ask the question, “What does… Continue reading A Most Harmonious Disagreement
Who Has Time Anymore?
My wife makes some of her living monitoring online discussions. One of the ongoing conversations there is about how women’s contradictory conundrums have changed — how today’s overwhelmed-ness compares with yesterday’s ennui. Staying at home, one feels the pangs of unexplored career, of unmade creative contributions… Working at a career, one sees the kids for… Continue reading Who Has Time Anymore?