[escepticos] Economistas descubriendo la jugada

[Pedro J. Hdez]

Esto lo dice Paul Krugman

"The Polish economist Michal Kalecki published “Political Aspects of Full
Employment <http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/kalecki220510.html>” 70
years ago. Keynesian ideas were riding high; a “solid majority” of
economists believed that full employment could be secured by government
spending. Yet Kalecki predicted that such spending would, nonetheless, face
fierce opposition from business and the wealthy, even in times of
depression. Why?

The answer, he suggested, was the role of “confidence” as a tool of
intimidation. If the government can’t boost employment directly, it must
promote private spending instead — and anything that might hurt the
privileged, such as higher tax rates or financial regulation, can be
denounced as job-killing because it undermines confidence, and hence
investment. But if the government can create jobs, confidence becomes less
important — and vested interests lose their veto power.

Kalecki argued that “captains of industry” understand this point, and that
they oppose job-creating policies precisely because such policies would
undermine their political influence. “Hence budget deficits necessary to
carry out government intervention must be regarded as perilous.”

When I first read this essay, I thought it was over the top. Kalecki was,
after all, a declared Marxist (although I don’t see much of Marx in his
writings). But, if you haven’t been radicalized by recent events, you
haven’t been paying attention; and policy discourse since 2008 has run
exactly along the lines Kalecki predicted."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/opinion/krugman-phony-fear-factor.html?_r=0


Bueno, nada sorprendente teniendo en cuenta el discurso de Paul Krugman de
los últimos años. Pero esto sí que es sorprendente. Lo que podemos
considerar un economista del establishment cuyos libros de divulgación no
son más que una defensa de la microeconomía estándar decía hace poco

*This is what sticks in the throat about the rise in inequality: the
knowledge that the more unequal our societies become, the more we all
become prisoners of that inequality. The well-off feel that they must
strain to prevent their children from slipping down the income ladder. The
poor see the best schools, colleges, even art clubs and ballet classes,
disappearing behind a wall of fees or unaffordable housing.*

*The idea of a free, market-based society is that everyone can reach his or
her potential. Somewhere, we lost our way.*

http://timharford.com/2013/08/how-the-rich-are-making-sure-they-stay-on-top/


saludos


-- 
Pedro J. Hernández
http://gplus.to/pedroj