Category Politics

On the Skepticism of Free Market Economics (part 2): No True Capitalism

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 8 comments

Perhaps I should call this article the No True Capitalism Apart From When It Suits ME. As I shall explain.

I have written a previous and lengthy piece to this debunking certain myths and pointing out certain problems with free market economics in its most fundamental ideal. This is all a result of a thread on a You Tube video which involved a somewhat hysterical libertarian who, aside from rude and immature snide remarks or open insults, and who invoked Danth’s Law at every possible moment, made myriad claims about capitalism, free market economics, corporatism and socialism.

UKIP Christian group: Manchester Pride is a ‘parade of depravity’

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 1 comment

UKIP, The British, but more popular version of the Tea Party, is stooping to new lows, as if that was possible. One of their authorised group, a Christian group whose tag line is “Fighting through Christ for deliverance form EU tyranny”, has made declarations about homosexuality and Manchester’s gay Pride event which seem right out of a previous century. This is from The Pink News (H/T Matthew Coussell through via Hope Not Hate):

On the Skepticism of Free Market Economics (part 1)

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 16 comments

Free market economics seems to be the cornerstone of both right-wing and libertarian political ideology, broadly espousing that the companies and corporations and consumers of the world arbitrate supply, price and, in some way it is hoped, moral dimensions of product manufacture and consumption. In this article, I would like to dispel some of the myths perpetuated by libertarians and free marketeers, whilst rebutting some points made against me in a discussion on this topic elsewhere on the web (in part 2).

Tory MPs must pretend not to be “atheists and gay”

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 2 comments

This is from The Independent, though what is equally as depressing in this day and age, is that the Bill to allow prayers at the beginning of Council meetings seems to have got through the House of Commons unopposed:

Tory James Arbuthnot comes out as an atheist, claiming MPs must pretend to be religious

A Conservative MP has said Tory MPs are under pressure to pretend they are religious and he could only confess that he was an atheist because he was standing down at the next election.

Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 2 comments

Saudi Arabia has introduced a series of new laws which define atheists as terrorists, according to a report from Human Rights Watch.

In a string of royal decrees and an overarching new piece of legislation to deal with terrorism generally, the Saudi King Abdullah has clamped down on all forms of political dissent and protests that could “harm public order”.

“True Islam” and violent extremism

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 91 comments

I am engaged in many conversations and debates across multiple platforms on the internet. At the moment, and in general recently, I have been wrapped up in many debates with my fellow liberals. The subject has been Islam and as to whether it is in some culpable proportion responsible for the violent extremism which is taking place across the globe. From the Middle East and ISIS (incorporating a number of different countries) to France and the Charlie Hedbo events; from Nigeria and Boko Haram to Kenya and Somalia with al Shabaab, things are not looking good.

The Perfect Storm : Gove’s Teacher Shortage

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • No comments

For those of you who are in the teaching profession, or who are interested in politics, and how Govian free market economics is trying to usurp education, then this is fascinating. It’s a tour de force, from Disappointed Idealist:

Something hideous this way comes. It’s a teacher shortage. Nothing new there, I hear you say. But this one is going to be a cracker, and it’s one which has been manufactured by Gove and his fellow travellers.

Does free market capitalism close the inequality gap? No.

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 8 comments

I was recently having a debate on You Tube, of all places, with a UKIP supported who refused to take on board any of my points unless the solutions I provided were free market centred. A selection of his comments will follow, this first one was after I pointed out that UKIP are science deniers (and I won’t post you the full nonsense he replied on his attempted philosophy of science, eg “People who use the word “consensus” in science can f*ck off out of science. That is a socialist/collectivist idea.”):

US elections: the worst news

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • 1 comment

From i09:

All together now: Fucking fuck.

Senator Inhofe, who is poised to become the most powerful senator on the environment, is the same man who has compared the scientific consensus over manmade global warming to Adolf Hitler’s conception of the Jewish conspiracy.

Kurdish Oath

By Jonathan MS Pearce • • No comments

I can’t vouch for the authenticity of this, but it seems pretty cool. I found it on a comment on a Yahoo News Article:

For general interest I copied down the oath given to a new group of fighters with the PKK. The Kurdish YPG fighting in Kobane are a different organization and their oath may be different, but it is actually many of the same people.