Comments on: Progressive conservatism – or how to combine the worst bits of two worldviews http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395 institute of economic affairs Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:42:56 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Kenmore http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395&cpage=1#comment-8783 Kenmore Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:36:05 +0000 http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395#comment-8783 good work, hope you make more related posts! will keep an eye on this blog ;) good work, hope you make more related posts! will keep an eye on this blog ;)

]]> By: Tom Papworth http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395&cpage=1#comment-6796 Tom Papworth Wed, 27 May 2009 15:57:41 +0000 http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395#comment-6796 This is the guy who wrote the Red Tories article in Prospect, isn't it. That article was so full of flaws I did not know where to begin. If he really is gaining ground among the Cameronistas then perhaps I should have devoted time and keystrokes to it. As I noted on the ASI blog, "Fans of free markets and liberty will find no solace [in the current Conservative Party]. It is old fashioned Tory paternalism wearing new clothes, a sort of moralising mutton dressed up as lamb. ...Both party's, remember, like to spend in equal measure; they just spend on different things." http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/regulation-and-industry/hitting-your-wallets-200905273586/ This is the guy who wrote the Red Tories article in Prospect, isn’t it.

That article was so full of flaws I did not know where to begin. If he really is gaining ground among the Cameronistas then perhaps I should have devoted time and keystrokes to it.

As I noted on the ASI blog,

“Fans of free markets and liberty will find no solace [in the current Conservative Party]. It is old fashioned Tory paternalism wearing new clothes, a sort of moralising mutton dressed up as lamb.

…Both party’s, remember, like to spend in equal measure; they just spend on different things.”

http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/regulation-and-industry/hitting-your-wallets-200905273586/

]]> By: Kris http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395&cpage=1#comment-6091 Kris Fri, 15 May 2009 12:41:36 +0000 http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395#comment-6091 A bit of localism can be charming. But if a local tradition is so feeble that it cannot cope with a bit of competition, in other words if it can only survive when alternatives are shut out, then it's probably not worth preserving it. But I don't know what the ProgCons are so afraid of anyway. It is possible without any problems to buy in a big supermarket chain, and still feel part of a distinct local culture. Go to any Bavarian village fair to see a proof. A bit of localism can be charming. But if a local tradition is so feeble that it cannot cope with a bit of competition, in other words if it can only survive when alternatives are shut out, then it’s probably not worth preserving it.
But I don’t know what the ProgCons are so afraid of anyway. It is possible without any problems to buy in a big supermarket chain, and still feel part of a distinct local culture. Go to any Bavarian village fair to see a proof.

]]> By: Mark Wadsworth http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395&cpage=1#comment-6088 Mark Wadsworth Fri, 15 May 2009 10:17:36 +0000 http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395#comment-6088 This gives a whole new slant to the term "PC"! Perhaps he ought to go and do some research on economies and diseconomies of scale. Some businesses (supermarkets, banks, white goods retailers) tend to be big and other (dry cleaners, hairdressers, newsagents) tend to be small. If you want to run a small business, then don't try opening a supermarket - do something that is either not in direct competition with, or even better, complementary to, the nearest supermarket and Bob's your uncle. This basic concept appears to have escaped David Cameron as well (click my name for rant). This gives a whole new slant to the term “PC”!

Perhaps he ought to go and do some research on economies and diseconomies of scale. Some businesses (supermarkets, banks, white goods retailers) tend to be big and other (dry cleaners, hairdressers, newsagents) tend to be small. If you want to run a small business, then don’t try opening a supermarket – do something that is either not in direct competition with, or even better, complementary to, the nearest supermarket and Bob’s your uncle.

This basic concept appears to have escaped David Cameron as well (click my name for rant).

]]> By: Philip http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395&cpage=1#comment-6087 Philip Fri, 15 May 2009 09:48:59 +0000 http://blog.iea.org.uk/?p=395#comment-6087 There are two ironies in Blond's analysis (as well as many other problems). The first is that he would claim to want a less materialistic way of living, yet he also claims that so much of local culture is defined by where we shop. Secondly, he wants the big state to create the local institutions of civil society in order to make the state smaller. On a slightly different point, there are no constraints on the growth and centralisation of the state in Blond's world. He may want a decentralised state, but the mechanisms he suggests are inherently unstable. There are two ironies in Blond’s analysis (as well as many other problems). The first is that he would claim to want a less materialistic way of living, yet he also claims that so much of local culture is defined by where we shop. Secondly, he wants the big state to create the local institutions of civil society in order to make the state smaller. On a slightly different point, there are no constraints on the growth and centralisation of the state in Blond’s world. He may want a decentralised state, but the mechanisms he suggests are inherently unstable.

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