I'm planing on reading The Great Transformation by Polanyi. Have you read it?

Optimism is a choice. :cool:

Of course. Optimism is a delusion (i.e. placebo). :sweat:

Incredulity is merely an opinion, not a reasoned, or informed, objection. Read Smith. Read Marx. Read histories of slave societies (e.g. Orlando Patterson). Read Burckhardt. Read Charles Beard. Read Thomas Piketty. C'mon, dude. Google & wiki don't bite. Pardon, though, if I've assumed we shared the same very basic background knowledge of e.g. histories (summaries) of empires, colonization of the Americas, etc. :roll: — 180 Proof

I don't have the attention span, forgive me.

It's my understanding that Marx didn't plan the manner in which socialism ought to become scientific to then become communism. Also, his Capital was meant for Germany. Maybe in a possible world near you Germany became communist and never went to war with the Europe. Who knows these things.

I'm somewhat skeptical about arguments that a planned economy cannot compete with capitalism, with the caveat that you have scientific socialism down. China is working hard at it.

My further understanding is that the Wealth of Nations got more rep with the powers that be at the time, and even China has some predisposition towards mercantilism.

Just my two cents.

Uh huh. A penny and a half short.

Are we living in an age of mediocrity?

Clearly not. This age is well below the mean.

Are you happy about his New Deal and Infrastructure bill? — Shawn

Has it passed the House yet? I'll believe it when I see it signed. Yes, it's a good thing, but it won't solve the problem.

Everyone's buying the same stuff though.

Are we living in an age of mediocrity?

Clearly not. This age is well below the mean. — Banno

Yay!