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Book recommendations thread

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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 hebden


    Benny_Cake wrote: »
    Coming from the left here, don't want to burst your bubble, but..

    Do you really think there is an appetite for a libertarian party in Ireland? The closest we had were the PD's, and even they did better when they abandoned their principles and ran gombeen men such as Tom Parton. I have never, ever heard anyone espousing libertarian ideas in Ireland apart from online.

    You have to start somewhere.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3 padraic.c


    Hi folks,

    I hope its ok to post this. There's a series of talks taking place in March in the Central Library, ILAC Centre and I thought people here might like to head along

    The Irish Economy. What happened? What next?

    A series of talks taking place each Thursday lunchtime during March in the Central Library.

    The series addresses questions around the Irish Economy. How we have reached the point we are now at, what the policy of successive governments has been and what effect these policies have had. Contributors include noted economists, journalists and historians. The talks are in partial fulfilment of the library service’s mission to help inform, enrich, and empower library users by providing relevant information and ideas.

    From independence to the IMF: the Irish economy and the forces that shaped it, 1922-2010
    Conor McCabe - Thursday, 1st March
    Conor McCabe is a Labour historian and author. He holds a PhD in Irish History from the University of Ulster. A contributor to the Dublin Opinion blog he recently authored Sins of the Father: The decisions that shaped the Irish Economy which looks at the development of the economy from the foundation of the State to the IMF bailout. Described as “far and away the best … attempt to explain our economic collapse” it had garnered praise from pundits as varied as David McWilliams and Vincent Browne.

    Austerity; time for a Plan B?
    Michael Taft - Thursday, 8th March
    Michael Taft is a political and economics researcher at Unite, the trade union. He blogs at notesonthefront.typepad.com and www.progressive-economy.ie and is part of the TASC network of economists.


    Ireland's Property Market - How did it come to this? And where to next?
    Ronan Lyons - Thursday, 15th March
    Ronan Lyons is probably best known as the resident economist at Daft.ie and is responsible for its quarterly report on Ireland’s residential sales and lettings markets. Ronan Lyons is an economist at Balliol College, Oxford, a Research Associate at the Spatial Economics Research Centre in LSE and a Visiting Researcher at the ESRI in Dublin.
    He blogs at ronanlyons.com and recently co-edited Next Generation Ireland.

    'The Irish banks and Eurozone stability: Learning from the past, looking to the future'
    Gregory Connor - Thursday, 22nd March
    Gregory Connor is Professor of Finance at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. He holds a PhD in economics from Yale and previously taught at the London School of Economics, the University of California, Berkeley and Northwestern University. Gregory blogs regularly on the Irish Economy website and has recently co-authored papers on the differences between the credit crises in Ireland and the U.S and on the cost of Ireland’s lax financial regulatory regime.

    Anglo Irish Bank and the part it played in Ireland's economic collapse
    Simon Carswell - Thursday, 29th March
    Simon Carswell is Finance Correspondent with The Irish Times and has covered the banking sector since the start of the financial crisis. He is the author of two books, Something Rotten: Irish Banking Scandals, and Anglo Republic: Inside the bank that broke Ireland, which topped the bestsellers’ list in Ireland for several weeks and has been described as “a fascinating read for anyone interested in the present Irish crisis and how it unfolded”.
    He is a regular contributor to television and radio, and won National Newspapers of Ireland Journalist of the Year award in 2011.


    Talks take place each Thursday in March at 1pm in the Central Library, ILAC Centre.

    Admission Free, Booking Advised

    For more details see http://bit.ly/Aoelkz


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 267 ✭✭OssianSmyth


    Copyright Charter Workshop

    mic1.png

    This Saturday, 4th February 2012 from 14:30 to 17:00
    in The Alexander Hotel Fenian Street, Dublin 2
    (FREE registration only at the link at the bottom of this post)

    A digital copyright charter for Ireland!


    Recent events in Ireland have shown how vulnerable Ireland is to enacting harmful and backward copyright legislation.

    Let's put together a clear charter of pro-consumer Irish digital copyright principles and then promote that charter to the public and the powers that be.

    People who may wish to attend:
    • Consumers
    • Media
    • Technologists
    • Politicians
    • Lawyers
    • Digital rights advocates
    • Artists
    (This workshop is not aimed at music/movie industry agents)

    Gather for the afternoon of Sat 4th Feb in the Alexander Hotel and hammer out a new charter of rights for digital copyright in Ireland.



    A creche with a limited number of places is available for those with young children.

    Tickets for both the workshop and the creche will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

    Please register at the link below

    http://copyrightreform.eventbrite.co.uk/


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 podgeqwerty




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,562 ✭✭✭✭Sunnyisland


    Done :-)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24 lisanolan_2204


    realies wrote: »
    Done :-)

    Thank you very much


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,700 ✭✭✭ThirdMan


    Jon Lee Anderson - The Fall Of Baghdad

    This book ends as the US invasion begins. That makes it sound somewhat limited, but it's not. If anything it's a fresh take on the subject, as everything post-invasion is already well documented.

    The author focuses a lot on the mood amongst ordinary Iraqis as they await the inevitable. It's such a cliché, but there's a real feeling of 'impending doom'. Part of that is knowing what subsequently happened, but it's mostly due the author's honest delivery.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 410 ✭✭_Gawd_


    (This is not a thread to discuss Libertarian positions, Austrian economics, flamewars, bashing etc - there are numerous other threads on boards.ie that do exactly that so go find them)

    I am interested in gathering all Libertarians of every strain into one place. We need active representation in Ireland. I propose that we get involved and dedicate just a few hours of our time to getting a Facebook page, Twitter account and a professional website up and running. I am willing to donate something regardless of whether or not it's time or money to this. Who here has any kind of web development experience? Who can post general phrases on FB and send out Tweets for 30mins a day? Who can add Ron Paul people and those from the LP to our FB account?

    Let's work together to create a budget or proposal (nothing major) of what the government SHOULD be doing. (This is not a big deal, I got Socialist leaflets in my door yesterday). So what I propose is that instead of talking the talk on here, who is actually prepared to do something???


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,565 ✭✭✭southsiderosie


    MOD NOTE:

    New party announcements, calls to action, etc. go in the Notice Board thread. If people are interested, they can PM you.

    There is already a thread about the possibility of an Irish libertarian party on the main page, and a gazillion other threads about libertarianism in this forum.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ElaFromGermany


    Hi there!

    I'm an 18 year old girl from Germany.
    I'll have a last presentation in tomorrows last English lesson before my A-Levels and I want to talk about The Troubles, too.
    It would be great to be able to present some opinions on The Troubles from people who are living in Ireland.


    I'd be very grateful if some people could answer the following questions as soon as possible and tell me their first name and where they live.


    Thank you very much for your consideration!


    ElaFromGermany





    Were/are you affected by The Troubles personally? If yes, how?


    What is your general opinion on The Troubles and especially on violent incidents like bombings etc.?


    Do you think that the governments of the UK and the Irish Republic do enough to prevent further conflicts?


    How is the situation right now? Have there been any incidents lately?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 Farmers For No


    Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, you are formally invited to a Press Conference of our referendum campaign group, ‘Farmers for No’, which is to be held in Buswell’s Hotel, Molesworth Street, Dublin, on Thursday next, May 10, at 3.00 pm in the Georgian suite. The Press Conference will officially launch our campaign for a No Vote in the forthcoming referendum on the EU Fiscal Compact / Stability Treaty and will be attended by Independent TD’s Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and Thomas Pringle who will be our guest speakers.

    Also Professor Anthony Coughlan, (Associate Professor Emeritus in Social Policy, TCD, and Director of the National Platform EU Research and Information Centre, 24 Crawford Avenue, Dublin 9), will attend as a guest speaker in his capacity as an expert on European Treaty Law.


    Our group is composed of past and present Officers of both the IFA and the Irish Cattle and Sheepfarmers’ Association.


    The Chairman of ‘Farmers for No’, is James Reynolds from Longford, who was Chairman of Longford IFA County Executive between 1999 and 2003. James Reynolds is also a former member of IFA Industry & Environment, Rural Development and Farm Business Committees and was also Chairman of the ‘Farmers for No’ to Lisbon campaign of 2009.


    Vice-Chairman of ‘Farmers for No’, is David Thompson from Limerick, who is a former Chairman of Limerick IFA County Executive, as well as being a member of the Campaign management team of former IFA President, John Dillon. David is also a former member of IFA Dairy and Animal Health Committees and is currently Vice-Chairman of Limerick IFA County Executive.


    PRO of ‘Farmers for No’, is Cllr Billy Clancy, Member of North Tipperary County Council and who is a farmer by profession. Secretary of ‘Farmers for No’, is Peter Fox from Longford, who is a former Chairman of the National Beef Committee of the Irish Cattle and Sheepfarmers’ Association and currently Chairman of Longford ICSA County Executive.


    Honorary President of ‘Farmers for No’, Gerry Murphy from Waterford, who is a former Chairman of Waterford IFA County Executive, a former member of the IFA National Council, a former member of the IFA Dairy and Industry & Environment Committees as well as being a former member of the IFA Rules and Privileges Committee.


    To date in this short referendum campaign the debate on the EU Fiscal Compact / Stability Treaty has been primarily based on party political considerations and an over eagerness on the part of those in the Yes campaign to submit unquestioningly to EU diktat even to the point of grossly misrepresenting the facts about this Treaty and misleading the public of the effects on Irish society and the economy of it’s ratification.
    Firstly let me indulge your desire for information on what the likely consequences of that ratification would be for this country and indeed for the Family of European Nations.


    On May 31 the Irish People will have the choice to accept or reject the “PERMANENT Austerity Treaty”, also known as the EU Fiscal Compact Treaty or Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union.


    By accepting this Treaty we would be PERMANENTLY handing over ABSOLUTE control of Fiscal Policy or the ability of elected Irish Governments to frame our own Budgets, to the NEW ‘Troika’ of the EU Commission, ECB and European Court of Justice.


    This handing over of ABSOLUTE control of Fiscal or Domestic Taxation Policy will result in even MORE POWER FOR UNELECTED TECHNOCRATS IN BRUSSELS AND LUXEMBOURG.


    The Fiscal Compact Treaty gives wide-ranging powers to the UNELECTED EU Commission and EU Court of Justice.
    Failure to implement the strict austerity conditions will result in the ECJ imposing fines of 0.1% of GDP or approximately €200 million per annum in the case of this State.


    This is nothing less than a Power grab by the UNELECTED Brussels based elite that controls EU Policy, which would mean if the Treaty is ratified, a PERMANENT SURRENDER OF THE LAST VESTIGES OF OUR NATIONAL ECONOMIC SOVEREIGNTY instead of regaining that economic sovereignty that has been already ceded by way of allowing the ‘Troika’ to dictate our current Fiscal Policy on a temporary basis because of the disastrous ‘Bank Guarantee’ enacted by the previous discredited Fianna Fail/Green Government.


    In other words, the Irish People are being asked by those advocates of a Yes Vote to exchange the temporary surrender of our economic sovereignty by way of the handing over of effective control of our Fiscal Policy to the ‘occupying power’ of the ‘Troika’ of the EU Commission / European Central Bank and IMF for a PERMANENT surrender of our economic sovereignty to the New ‘Troika’ of the EU Commission / ECB and European Court of Justice!


    This ‘AUSTERITY’ Treaty is ONLY for the Irish People and NOT for Foreign Banks and Bondholders, who are EXEMPT from any austerity despite the fact that the EU has imposed a massive 50% writedown on the Bondholders of Greek debt.


    The Fiscal Compact policies of Austerity would kill demand and economic growth that is so necessary for the recovery of our economy and at the same time those policies would result in the closure of Regional Hospitals, Rural schools and Garda stations.


    The Fiscal Compact would also ensure that current and future generations of Irish tax payers would pay every last cent plus interest to the ECB, for that loan obtained by the previous discredited Fianna Fail/Green Government, to reward the Foreign Bondholders of Irish Bank Debt.
    This opinion is supported by the renowned Trinity College Dublin economist, Constantin Gurdgiev, who has been damning in his description of the Fiscal Treaty in the following terms: “The Fiscal Pact is equivalent to economic suicide.”


    Also Paul Krugman, the Nobel Prize economist has said as quoted in the Irish Times, on April 17, 2012, that : “European leaders seem determined to drive their economy – and their society off a cliff. And the whole world will pay the price.”


    But what happens if we Vote No? Could Ireland’s access to a future bailout from the ESM Rescue Fund be put at jeopardy by that decision? This is the so-called ‘Blackmail Clause’ contained in Article 136 of the European Stability Mechanism.


    Firstly the ESM Treaty has not yet been ratified and there is a Legal challenge being brought against it’s ratification by Independent TD, Thomas Pringle.


    Secondly the ESM Bailout Rescue Loan Fund does not yet exist.
    Thirdly the ESM Rescue Fund is a Loan fund that does not provide us with FREE money.


    Fourthly the ESM Treaty requires Ireland to contribute €11.1 Billion to that ‘Rescue’ Fund, which we must BORROW with €1.5 Billion of that BORROWED to be paid upfront.


    Fifthly and most importantly the ONLY reason that we ‘need’ a ‘Bailout’ is because Ireland is locked out of the financial markets for borrowing because Irish Sovereign Bonds carry a high risk of default as a direct result of the ‘Bank Guarantee’ of the previous Fianna Fail / Green Government that was the means of the Irish Tax payer BAILING OUT FOREIGN BONDHOLDERS who invested in the now bust Anglo-Irish Bank when gambling on the continuation of the ‘Building Bubble’.


    The forthcoming Referendum on the EU Fiscal Compact Treaty must be a plebiscite on the UNJUST BANK DEBT. If the Irish People Vote No on May 31, this democratic decision must be respected and must be a MANDATE TO DEFAULT ON THE UNJUST BANK DEBT BURDEN THAT IS SINKING OUR ECONOMY. It is the loading of this ‘Bank Debt’ on top of the country’s Sovereign National Debt that is preventing Ireland from borrowing on the financial markets at low interest cost.


    Defaulting on this UNJUST BANK DEBT would enable Ireland to borrow funds on the financial markets by selling Irish Sovereign Bonds at reasonable interest cost and avert any risk of the country depending on a yet to be created ESM Rescue Fund that could be denied to the country because of our correct decision to reject the Fiscal Treaty.


    Also the decision to Default on the Unjust Bank Debt would enable this country to exit the current ‘Bailout’ programme overseen by the ‘Troika’.
    It is also our contention that Ireland’s economic interest would be best served by Exiting the Euro-zone that has had such a catastrophic impact on our economy and society since we joined the failed currency zone in 1999.
    Within one decade of Ireland joining the Euro-zone in 1999 and ditching the successful floating Punt, our Pre-Building Bubble economy had been transformed from one that was thriving and was the envy of other countries to the basketcase that it is today.


    There is no doubt but that Ireland’s decision to enter the one size fits all Euro-zone in 1999 was the principal contributing factor to the Housing Bubble which in turn Crashed the Economy. This was caused by the destruction of National Currencies and the removal of exchange rates which enabled European Banks and most especially German Banks to engage in a lending splurge to Irish Banks which in turn re-packaged these loans into House Mortgages and Property Loans.


    Also because we joined the Euro-zone the ECB lowered interest rates which further FUELLED House prices and saddled young families with UNAFFORDABLE MORTGAGE DEBT while at the same time condemned a large proportion of our population to the open prison of wholesale housing stock in negative equity.


    Our diagnosis of the euro being primarily responsible for the crashing of our once thriving economy is supported by the admission of former Finance Minister, the late Brian Lenihan TD, who during an interview with Matt Cooper on the ‘Last Word’ show on Today FM, June 25, 2009, said that: “Low euro interest rates and cheap labour from Eastern Europe after 2004 were the main reasons for the overheating of the Irish economy which led to the recession.”


    Also at the Beal na mBlath oration, Michael Collins commemoration, 22/08/2011, as quoted in the Irish Times, Professor Edward Walsh, founding President, University of Limerick, said that : “Ireland entered the euro in 1999 and lost control of the two vital monetary instruments : setting interest rates and setting currency exchange rates. Had Ireland remained outside the euro, it’s bankers would not have gained access to the euro zone’s vast and low interest borrowing opportunities.


    Without the outlandish credit available within the euro zone, the building bubble, the resultant government windfalls and Ahern’s, McCreevy’s and Cowen’s spending splurge would have been impossible. The country would not now be in receivership … For Ireland there has not been a shared and equitable solution. The banks, mainly German, which lent rashly, are receiving a 100 per cent bailout. Not form those who borrowed, but from the Irish tax payer. Apart altogether from the unfairness of the imposed solution, it will not work, because it cannot.”


    Also the Fiscal Compact will have a devastating impact on Irish and European Agriculture:


    1) Guaranteed funding of the CAP Budget Post – 2013 that is so necessary to protect the solvency of the Irish Family Farm model of Agriculture will be seriously undermined as the EU will dip into the CAP Budget in order to secure sufficiency of funding for the ESM Rescue Fund that requires in excess of €700 Billion.


    This view is supported by Alan Matthews, Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy, Trinity College Dublin, on the EU Summit of December 9, 2011 that decided on the €700 Billion ESM Rescue Fund.


    He said in the Irish Examiner on December 15, 2011 that :


    “Safeguarding the CAP Budget must be increasingly in doubt after last week’s fateful EU Summit”.




    2) Prices for food and agricultural products will be likely to fall due to austerity throughout our export markets in Europe.


    Again this view is supported by Professor Matthews, who also said in that December 15 article in the Irish Examiner, that : “The growing likelihood of an EU recession next year, possibly inducing further economic turmoil beyond the continent, will lower demand for agricultural output and could lead to another collapse in output prices”.


    Also Professor Matthews said in capreform.eu blog that : “Difficulties in Europe’s banking sector will curtail credit to farmers and to the small and medium-sized enterprises which make up the bulk of the EU’s food industry …the EU’s prized single market in agricultural and food products could come under threat”.




    3) Taxes will continue rising because of bailing out foreign banks and bondholders.




    4) Irish Government contribution to EU Co-financed direct payment schemes such as the Disadvantaged or Less Favoured Areas Scheme will be reduced or withdrawn altogether thus collapsing such a scheme that provides a necessary ‘safety net’ for low income farm families in geographic disadvantaged areas.




    5) Farm Family members working in off-farm employment will have their wages and salaries cut even more because of enforced austerity.




    6) Social Welfare payments to farm families, such as old age pensions will have to be reduced and Income supports such as Farm Assist will be likely to be scrapped because of enforced austerity.


    ‘Farmers for No’ are very critical of the larger farming organisations, namely the IFA, ICMSA, Macra na Feirme and ICOS for their failure to allow democratic discussion and debate amongst their grassroots members before making a considered decision on the Fiscal Treaty.


    Central to the IFA’s argument for a Yes vote is in their view the importance of Ireland remaining in Euro-zone which totally disregards the catastrophic impact that Euro-zone membership has had on our economy.


    ‘Farmers for No’ will be vigorously putting forward the case against the Fiscal Treaty in terms of the devastating impact that the Treaty’s ratification would have on the Family Farming in Ireland and the Agricultural Sector, which is so vital for the country’s economic recovery.
    However ‘Farmers for No’ will also vigorously put forward the case for a No Vote because of the Treaty’s devastating impact on the wider economy as farm families are also consumers and are integrated into the wider economy and society with many farm family members working in off-farm employment or seeking work off-farm.


    Also as austerity is having a negative impact on consumer consumption of food products that the agricultural and food industries depend on as a market for farm products, it is crucial that the Fiscal Treaty, which would result in PERMANENT austerity, is rejected.


    Over the next few weeks ‘Farmers for No’ intend to drive home the message that the EU Fiscal Compact Treaty must be rejected if we as a nation are to have any hope of achieving economic recovery and create a roadmap for a prosperous future for all of the Irish People.


    In light of the recent developments with the election of the new French President, Francois Hollande, the collapse of the Dutch Government and the rejection by the Greek people of the ‘Merkozy’ Austerity agenda in Sunday’s General Election in Greece, our task must be a lot easier as it is apparent that the peoples of Europe are looking for the Irish People to lead in formally rejecting the Fiscal Compact as we are the only EU Member State that is having a Referendum on the Treaty.


    http://farmersforno.eu




    Screenshot-from-2012-05-01-2313411.png


  • Registered Users Posts: 43,274 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Post moved to the Notice Board which caters for notification of press releases, calls to action etc.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,980 ✭✭✭meglome



    Wow there is a hell of lot wrong with your post. Facts wise it stinks.

    Though to be honest the main reason I responded is how mad a farmer especially would have to be to go along with you, given where large chunks of their income comes from.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,028 ✭✭✭Lockstep


    Farmers for No seem to be a minority

    Link


  • Registered Users Posts: 109 ✭✭football_lover


    Hi all.

    I was wondering if anybody here had considered starting a movement to try and educate the public on the concepts of libertarianism.

    Currently there is nobody in Irish politics that is the equivalent of Ron Paul that can put the concept of liberty on the table. Most of the debate is from the same shades of economic thought that created the debt crisis in Ireland.

    Does anybody here have any idea's about how to start a movement and were to get started.


  • Registered Users Posts: 109 ✭✭football_lover


    Hi all.

    I was wondering if anybody here had considered starting a movement to try and educate the public on the concepts of libertarianism.

    Currently there is nobody in Irish politics that is the equivalent of Ron Paul that can put the concept of liberty on the table. Most of the debate is from the same shades of economic thought that created the debt crisis in Ireland.

    Does anybody here have any idea's about how to start a movement and were to get started (not a political party).

    What would the fundamental philosophies of Irish Libertarian be and how could it be tailored in terms of Irish media and the the existing political ideologies that are prevalent in Irish society.

    The main political theories in Ireland revolve around the welfare state. The Labour Party, Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail all base their political/economic ideologies from a pro-statism perspective.

    How would we form a text body of education and it context against classical Irish politics/economic. what are the pitfalls of the Austrian school in an Irish context for example making a statement in Ireland getting rid of social welfare would freak most people out as they would not understand the greater economic context of such a move.

    Does the Irish constitution conflict with the concepts of libertarian.








    (This is my fourth attempt at trying to get this post up on these forums First time it crashes second time it told me I was not logged in third time it went to another post and was missing half the text. And the last time it was in political theory but was missing half the text. I will try again.)


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    The reason that there is no libertarian movement in Ireland is because this kind of extremism doesn't come naturally to a nation used to pragmatic politics, where ideology is viewed with deep suspicion, and where consensus is considered paramount. Its one of the reasons why fascism, communism or populist racism never took a proper hold here either.

    I'm not sure what you hope to achieve. Those who wish to learn about libertarianism can do so by accessing the internet. You say you don't want to be a political party... So what, a pressure group? There already is a group that agitates for civil liberties. And a party in the european mould of economic liberalism used to exist but was wiped out in the polls.

    I think you'd be better off lowering your sights, and try to organise a pub meeting or something in Dublin. There are at most, thirty libertarians in Ireland. And they are all on boards.ie :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 109 ✭✭football_lover


    Denerick wrote: »
    The reason that there is no libertarian movement in Ireland is because this kind of extremism doesn't come naturally to a nation used to pragmatic politics, where ideology is viewed with deep suspicion, and where consensus is considered paramount. Its one of the reasons why fascism, communism or populist racism never took a proper hold here either.

    I'm not sure what you hope to achieve. Those who wish to learn about libertarianism can do so by accessing the internet. You say you don't want to be a political party... So what, a pressure group? There already is a group that agitates for civil liberties. And a party in the european mould of economic liberalism used to exist but was wiped out in the polls.

    I think you'd be better off lowering your sights, and try to organise a pub meeting or something in Dublin. There are at most, thirty libertarians in Ireland. And they are all on boards.ie :D

    I have not said anything about not wanting to be a political party this thread is a discussion about the concept of a movement and theoretical ideals of Austrian economics and how to communicate such theory on a national and personal basic. and how such theory stands against current political theory.

    You stated "The reason that there is no libertarian movement in Ireland is because this kind of extremism"

    So from this statement you have made you like the current two party political system that is built on flawed economic model.

    The Irish welfare state is a mess.

    What is there is Austria economics that you believe would not work in the Irish context.

    The Austrian school is the only economic thought that has predicted the current crisis with Precision .


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,298 ✭✭✭Duggys Housemate


    Denerick wrote: »
    The reason that there is no libertarian movement in Ireland is because this kind of extremism doesn't come naturally to a nation used to pragmatic politics, where ideology is viewed with deep suspicion, and where consensus is considered paramount. Its one of the reasons why fascism, communism or populist racism never took a proper hold here either.

    I'm not sure what you hope to achieve. Those who wish to learn about libertarianism can do so by accessing the internet. You say you don't want to be a political party... So what, a pressure group? There already is a group that agitates for civil liberties. And a party in the european mould of economic liberalism used to exist but was wiped out in the polls.

    I think you'd be better off lowering your sights, and try to organise a pub meeting or something in Dublin. There are at most, thirty libertarians in Ireland. And they are all on boards.ie :D

    I have not said anything about not wanting to be a political party this thread is a discussion about the concept of a movement and theoretical ideals of Austrian economics and how to communicate such theory on a national and personal basic. and how such theory stands against current political theory.

    You stated "The reason that there is no libertarian movement in Ireland is because this kind of extremism"

    So from this statement you have made you like the current two party political system that is built on flawed economic model.

    The Irish welfare state is a mess.

    What is there is Austria economics that you believe would not work in the Irish context.

    The Austrian school is the only economic thought that has predicted the current crisis with Precision .

    Yeah, Marxists say that too. Austrian economics predicts nothing. And personally I think we have enough libertarian threads on this forum. Use the existing threads to discuss libertarianism and Ireland.


  • Registered Users Posts: 208 ✭✭Debtocracy


    The Austrian school is the only economic thought that has predicted the current crisis with Precision .

    Austrian economists will keep predicting “The End is Nigh” for as long as the economic system does not conform their principles. Austrian economists have a similar predictive accuracy about the economy as someone with severe depression. Take a look at the post-2008 predictive accuracy of Peter “Psychic” Schiff.
    http://www.economicpredictions.org/peter-schiff-predictions/index.htm


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,797 ✭✭✭KyussBishop


    The problem is, the results/consequences of enacting Right Libertarian and Austrian economic theories, are very much in dispute and you can't make many definitive statements on what would happen, because it has never been tested in pure form (though there is plenty of room to examine individual components/policies, and their past implementation, just not the whole).
    Quite a lot of postings (mine in particular) suggest enacting the economic side of the policies would lead to a lot of undesired negative effects on society, and there's much disagreement over that.


    One less contested and more workable side of Libertarianism is the social side of its policies; drug legalization (or decriminalization), legalization and regulation of prostitution, LGBT rights and general enhanced civil liberties, complete Internet deregulation etc..

    This is the side of Libertarian policies that could be most successful, but applying the 'Libertarian' label to it (which today implies all the policies of Right Libertarianism), is more likely to harm the movement than help it, so it's probably better to just pursue ideals on a platform of social liberties and general civil rights, not Libertarianism specifically.
    That's something I'd get behind anyway, even though I'm pretty against the remainder of Right Libertarian policies when it comes to economics/government etc..


    As for the kind of economic model I'd get behind: This is all very much up in the air at the moment, and economic theory is going through a (very slowly) accelerating upheaval at the moment; I would personally back Post-Keynesian economic points of view, and general scientific/empirical-research-backed economic policies, but it is a topic of discussion which has a relatively high barrier to entry (I've been reading a lot about it all and regularly, but it takes time to get a grip on stuff).

    For any movement looking to enact changes in economic policy, aimed at reforming all of economic policy (not just patching up the most obviously screwed up neoclassical policies), I think it would be important to have a public platform which pulls in discussion/debate from as many heterodox economists around the world as possible.

    Austrian economics is an improvement over neoclassical, but it's just as (if not more) ideological as neoclassical has become, and that is (in my view) very harmful/dangerous, so I would much prefer something like Post-Keynesian which is much more based on actual research than theory.

    There are plenty of other economic theories I haven't yet explored in detail though; one I hear a fair bit about is Modern Monetary Theory, but I don't know enough about that yet to say whether it would be suitable for actual implementation or not.

    The Austrian school is the only economic thought that has predicted the current crisis with Precision.
    That is actually false; Austrian economists did predict the crisis, but they did not do so with precision, and they did not have any models for predicting it (open to correction on last part though, as not 100% sure there).

    One of the most well known people who predicted the economic crisis long in advance, and who actually made serious attempts to use modelling to predict it, is Steve Keen, who identifies as Post-Keynesian (but who really, from my point of view, has a very open/diverse perspective on multiple economic theories).

    His book 'Debunking Economics' is excellent, and I'd highly recommend it (albeit you need to have at least a passing interest in economic theory to like it); it does a very good job of outlining the current state of economic theory, and I reference it a lot when researching stuff.


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,397 ✭✭✭✭FreudianSlippers


    Political parties in Ireland are a very difficult nut to crack. I believe the truth of the matter is that the mass populous in Ireland gives less than a shít about political theory, economics or governance. People don't choose their political affiliation in Ireland based on economic perspectives for the most part - they are FG because their parents were and their parents before them, etc.
    Most of the left parties capitalise on a highly Republican and anti-European sentiment with an astounding lack of economic theory backing them.

    Libertarianism itself is so wide and varied to its extent that if you gathered the so-called 30 libertarians on boards and asked them to hash out a party; every single one would have a different idea of what a libertarian party should promote and how extreme it should be. I'm positive a consensus could be agreed upon though, but some views would have to be put aside.

    Opponents of Libertarianism will cite the variety as a negative; I disagree and state that the lack of variety in the mainstream statist parties are more of a negative. As is supporting a party that is based fundamentally on either social or political differences and ideological beliefs.

    In short, an economic party cannot compete with the hearts and minds of 100 years of corruption, backstabbing and vitriol. I'm sure we could create a small party and run local elections and perhaps get a few people into office, but it would make little difference unless the people wanted a true change from the current system. Perhaps something that people would say, but it would likely not be reflected at the polls.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,797 ✭✭✭KyussBishop


    I think perhaps one of the primary areas Libertarian activism could help, might be outside of actively engaging in political parties (apart from perhaps on social issues), and actually taking extensive efforts to expose and publicize state corruption and inefficiency etc..

    There seems to be much room in Ireland, for collecting information about corruption and further investigative research, and publicizing that as widely and loudly as possible; the trouble with that coming from an organization backed with Libertarian principals, is that most Libertarian organizations backed with significant money, are backed by those who have a far wider and more pernicious set of undisclosed agendas, such as the Libertarian think tanks in the US.

    Any such organization here, would need to be based on solid journalistic principals from a wide variety of people (not just Libertarian supporters), and would need to be free to work independently of any one source of politically-backed funding, and would probably need to be able to achieve self-sustainability in order to avoid being pushed towards any hidden/dishonest agendas.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    and actually taking extensive efforts to expose and publicize state corruption and inefficiency etc..
    One need not look further than the State's balance sheet to determine its inefficiency!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,797 ✭✭✭KyussBishop


    True but without publicizing the issues and generating public demand for change, it's not going to change; it seems pretty well established that a Libertarian party won't be able to gain public support outside of social issues, so got to work within the current system and publicize criticism of areas that are managed badly/negligently/corruptly, and propose solutions for fixing that within the system.

    Driving a platform of the pure Libertarian approaches to government and public services won't gain any traction, but the above has a far better chance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    True but without publicizing the issues and generating public demand for change, it's not going to change; it seems pretty well established that a Libertarian party won't be able to gain public support outside of social issues, so got to work within the current system and publicize criticism of areas that are managed badly/negligently/corruptly, and propose solutions for fixing that within the system.
    If libertarians proposed a tranche of changes within the system then surely they wouldn't be libertarians anymore?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,797 ✭✭✭KyussBishop


    Well I don't see the two as mutually exclusive; even if Libertarians would most favour a system which is completely different, I don't see why they wouldn't be able to accept the reality of how difficult it would be to change the system, and in accepting that, push for changes to improve the current system until their own ideals can mature in principals and/or public interest.

    Even if completely changing the current system is the long term goal, settling with improving what we have now is surely a preferred short-term objective until the former becomes viable?

    A lot of the changes that can be pushed for in the current system, could be beneficial to both systems in the end, such as pushing for greater transparency in government, and on tougher laws/enforcement against corruption.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    Another thing that the Irish share with the Brits is a distrust and suspicion of extremism and people who are either ideological or angry. I can imagine someone red faced, pumping their fist on the table at a public rally, only to face that famous rejoinder: 'Just who the hell do you think you are, pal? Get off your high horse'.

    In fact, its one of the things I love about Irish democracy. By and large, ideological politics is held in the contempt it deserves. Pragmatism is our defining virtue. An idea is good because it is good, and regardless of whether it is considered 'left' or 'right'. Most people when they get down to it are diverse and self contradictory, because this is how rational people approach problems. They don't work off a pre-ordained ideological blueprint, they try to determine the most rational and effective solution to any given problem. Like most people, I adapt certain elements of left wing and right wing thought in my personal political philosophy.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    Denerick wrote: »
    By and large, ideological politics is held in the contempt it deserves. Pragmatism is our defining virtue. An idea is good because it is good, and regardless of whether it is considered 'left' or 'right'. Most people when they get down to it are diverse and self contradictory, because this is how rational people approach problems. They don't work off a pre-ordained ideological blueprint, they try to determine the most rational and effective solution to any given problem. Like most people, I adapt certain elements of left wing and right wing thought in my personal political philosophy.
    Are you saying that because people are diverse and self-contradictory we should adopt a political position that is equally diverse and self-contradictory? Pragmatism, as explained above, seems to me an excuse for inconsistency, based on the premise that the state is always the most expedient solution to any problem (show me a libertarian pragmatist!). That a political orientation claiming to be 'pragmatic' and 'non-ideological' has the social contract at its base is clearly confusing the issue.

    I understand your argument in jettisoning the traditional ideological orientations but big government social democracy, no matter how 'pragmatic', has just as strong an ideological basis as communism or libertarianism. I'm not sure on what basis you can claim otherwise:

    John Rawls
    Thomas Hobbes
    Rousseau
    Plato

    I could go on and on and on and on -- all political persuasions, at their base, have prescriptive rules for how individuals and society should act towards each other. I don't understand the modern drive towards denying this fact?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,797 ✭✭✭KyussBishop


    I don't think he was arguing in favour of the state or selectively applying pragmatism in that regard; every political system has its own ideology yes, but what is usually meant when describing a movement as 'ideological', is that it's all about pushing theory and less about dispassionately evaluating whether that is a better/worse system than other competing systems.

    Or in other words, it's about whether or not people take a practical/pragmatic stance in evaluating their political theories; a very important part of this is the use of the scientific method in doing so, which a large part of Right Libertarianism (particularly Austrian economics) seems to be wary of.

    An important part of this, is that in the US at least, a wide number of people putting significant money into promoting Libertarianism, appear to be doing it for monetary and political gain, not out of any real belief in Libertarian principals; for them in particular, it's all about the ideology, as they don't care about evaluating whether their system is 'better', they want a system for their own gains at the expense of everyone else.


    Our current political system is quite bad, yes, and needing much improvement, but Right-Libertarian alternatives to various parts of our political system, have been shown to have very significant problems which may be insurmountable.
    So, you have to be pragmatic and determine "is this really better than what we have now?", and more particularly "would it just be less harmful to work within the current system?".


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