Sorry Duncan,
I wasn't making myself clear - I was not trying to make a connection
between Planned
Economies and environmental protection. I do not in anyway think the
planned economy of the Soviet Union was good for the environment - far from
it.
However I don't think that free market economies are free from
environmental guilt either - rainforest destruction, Bhopal, drilling for
oil in the Artic, consumption patterns that are leading to the loss of many
of our natural resources, mass air/water pollution from
cars/planes/industry with global impacts (global warming, acid rain, etc),
the list could go on.
What I was trying to point out was one of the things I always thought was
great about Economics was the comparative debate between planned and free
market. That comparison is now historical since neo-liberal economics now
dominated the globe. So what is to replace it?
Should we accept having one model for the economy without any debate about
it's failings?
Can we all honestly say to ourselves that capitalism works for all when one
fifth of the world go to bed hungry at night ?
best wishes
Finbarr Carter ([log in to unmask])
Project Co-ordinator
'Just Business'
www.jusbiz.org
Norfolk Education and Action for Development
38 Exchange Street, Norwich, NR2 1AX
Tel: 01603 610993
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Registered Charity: 1010853
Registered company: 2237 424
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