Two common cliches invite intellectual gymnastics on Marxism’s behalf: It’s never been tried in its truest form, and It’s good in theory but not in practice. Both are wrong.
Magnificent article! It's the "Economics in One Lesson" refutation of the main themes of Marxism.
But more than economics, probably young people's embrace of Marxism derives from the notion of the "New Socialist Man" – daydreaming that has been around since the Utopian Marxism of the early 19th century. It is this idea that makes supposedly benign socialists like the avuncular Bernie Sanders and thoroughgoing Stalinists the fruit of the same tree: Both accept the use of state force – progressive taxation in the first case, gulags in the other – as not just the necessary tool of government but as part of its positive duty toward shaping the New Socialist Man. They differ only in degree, not in kind.
Also: I didn't know about MRU videos (prices are “information wrapped in incentives”) – a great resource for my young daughters.
Thank you so much for the "New Socialist Man" reminder.... About 15-20 years ago, I started to write a book about how various dangerous ideologies are more or less rooted in behaviorism. I remember writing a ton on this and probably can't find it now. But the Socialist Man concept came up early in the book. The powerful are always looking to put us into some sort of Skinner Box so that eventually we'll become their NSM. In any case, brilliant observation my dear TH!
Glad I’m not the only one triggered into shouting about Mises, Menger, and Hayek when people say it’s “great in theory” 😄
Magnificent article! It's the "Economics in One Lesson" refutation of the main themes of Marxism.
But more than economics, probably young people's embrace of Marxism derives from the notion of the "New Socialist Man" – daydreaming that has been around since the Utopian Marxism of the early 19th century. It is this idea that makes supposedly benign socialists like the avuncular Bernie Sanders and thoroughgoing Stalinists the fruit of the same tree: Both accept the use of state force – progressive taxation in the first case, gulags in the other – as not just the necessary tool of government but as part of its positive duty toward shaping the New Socialist Man. They differ only in degree, not in kind.
Also: I didn't know about MRU videos (prices are “information wrapped in incentives”) – a great resource for my young daughters.
Thank you so much for the "New Socialist Man" reminder.... About 15-20 years ago, I started to write a book about how various dangerous ideologies are more or less rooted in behaviorism. I remember writing a ton on this and probably can't find it now. But the Socialist Man concept came up early in the book. The powerful are always looking to put us into some sort of Skinner Box so that eventually we'll become their NSM. In any case, brilliant observation my dear TH!