Posts tagged political economy
All of this means that, without addressing the underlying decay in productive capabilities, Britain cannot fix its ailing economy. To deal with this problem, it urgently needs to develop a long-term productive strategy through a broad-based public consultation involving not just the government and private sector firms, but trade unions, educational institutions and research institutes.
…
John Maynard Keynes once famously said that in the long run we are all dead. But a lot of us have to live for a while yet. A series of short-run policies, whether based on the coalition policy of spending cuts and loose monetary policy or on the opposition policy of increased government spending, isn’t going to address the challenges facing the British economy. It is time to think for the long term.
What’s that? Just Ha-Joon Chang telling the coalition government how it is.
If you don’t know Ha-Joon Chang, educate yourself.
I love how political economy possesses the capacity to answer every single question about the future. Oh, political economy, I adore you.
Happy International Women’s Day. You’re probably working.
oh what’s that? somalia offers paid maternity leave, and the us (still) doesn’t.
…I’m sorry I’m confused about which one is a failed state?
Ban ‘Killer Robots’ Before It’s Too Late
“Losing Humanity” is the first major publication about fully autonomous weapons by a nongovernmental organization and is based on extensive research into the law, technology, and ethics of these proposed weapons. It is jointly published by Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic.
Human Rights Watch and the International Human Rights Clinic called for an international treaty that would absolutely prohibit the development, production, and use of fully autonomous weapons. They also called on individual nations to pass laws and adopt policies as important measures to prevent development, production, and use of such weapons at the domestic level.
Fully autonomous weapons do not yet exist, and major powers, including the United States, have not made a decision to deploy them. But high-tech militaries are developing or have already deployed precursors that illustrate the push toward greater autonomy for machines on the battlefield. The United States is a leader in this technological development. Several other countries – including China, Germany, Israel, South Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom – have also been involved. Many experts predict that full autonomy for weapons could be achieved in 20 to 30 years, and some think even sooner.Read more after the jump.
Where do I sign? When we look for origin (how did it come to this), we must look to the military economies of state. Yes, job creation is positive; if it’s intended product is not destructive (to humanity).
REBLOG FOR HUMANITY!
GMOs are a controversial climate adaptation measure. But, drought resistant crops are necessary.
Agricultural biotechnology companies have been pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into developing plants that can withstand the effects of a prolonged dry spell. Monsanto Co., based in St. Louis, has received regulatory approval for DroughtGard, a corn variety that contains the first genetically modified trait for drought resistance.
Seed makers, such as Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. of Johnston, Iowa, and Swiss company Syngenta, are already selling drought-tolerant corn varieties, conceived through conventional breeding.
At stake: a $12-billion U.S. seed market, with corn comprising the bulk of sales. The grain is used in such things as animal feed, ethanol and food. The push is also on to develop soybean, cotton and wheat that can thrive in a world that’s getting hotter and drier.
“Drought is definitely going to be one of the biggest challenges for our growers,” said Jeff Schussler, senior research manager for Pioneer, the agribusiness arm of DuPont. “We are trying to create products for farmers to be prepared for that.”
Their efforts come amid concerns about genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, and the unforeseen consequences of this genetic tinkering. Californians in November will vote on Proposition 37, which would require foods to carry labels if they were genetically modified. The majority of corn seed sold is modified to resist pests and reap higher yields.
Opponents say the label would unnecessarily dampen further development that is intended to feed a growing global population dependent on the U.S., the largest exporter of corn and soybean.
“Trying to create drought-tolerant crops is not going to be easy to do,” said Kent Bradford, director of the Seed Biotechnology Center at UC Davis. “We certainly need all the tools [available] to do that, and that includes conventional breeding and adding transgenic traits. We don’t need to stigmatize these approaches.”
Great read via LATimes
Cards on the table, I’m still sick and didn’t read the whole article. But there’s a basically obvious point that isn’t made here that agricultural political economists have been trying to communicate for years.
Drought resistant crops are not a necessary evil.
Yes, they are evil, but they are not necessary. What is necessary is a more diverse international market for corn (for food production, not ethanol). DOES NO ONE REMEMBER NAFTA?! … probably not. If you’re old enough to remember one power politic move of NAFTA was to take away corn growing power from Mexico (and other Central American states). Mexico was told to clear their corn fields and plant agave; agave was to be their cash crop now, despite the fact that the majority of the Mexican diet is based on corn grown locally and cheaply (not an import product).
…I know I’m angsty because of this flu, but this is what I’m talking about when I go on about how we MUST remember history! This is even recent history! If we accept that GMOs/drought resistant crops are a necessary evil we 1) allow USAg, the USDA, and the people who came up with the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) to tell us it is GMOs or nothing and 2) we accept the injustices that come along with bully-pulpit agricultural political economy/international politics.
Look, all I am saying, is that if NAFTA hadn’t taken away corn growing power from Mexico, you’d all still have cheap corn at your Fourth of July bbqs. …this isn’t complicated intelligence, (shee)people; it’s using historical knowledge to think critically about our governments tell us we must accept.
just in case it wasn’t clear, FUCK MONSANTO.
A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.
Happy 100th birthday, iconic economist Milton Friedman, author of Capitalism and Freedom. (via explore-blog)
*smacks on nose with newspaper*
NO.
There’s this thing called history, especially in the 1960s, and this other thing called Latin America… check them both out in regards to Friedman. I’m not railing against explore-blog, but thank sweet baby unicorns this man is dead. There is NO SUCH THING as a laboratory for economics, or there wasn’t before Friedman came along. If I were to say there is ONE REASON for the horrors of capitalism, its absolutely Milton Friedman.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read more political economy (critically). This man was terrible. Sabes? Si? Es verdad?!
I think we are in for a very serious situation worldwide.
Robert Thompson, a food security expert at the Chicago Council of Global Affairs from the Guardian on the ‘corn crisis’ and respective drought effects on US agriculture.
mmmm data…
The best and worst places in the world to be a woman, in an infographic based on Save The Children’s annual State of the World’s Mothers report, comparing data from 165 countries.
this infograph is dead sexy…and dead informative.
The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) - the people who ran the (WTO) MC8 Parallel Symposium on trade and development I attended in Geneva in December - has produced a new ebook, The Future and the WTO: Confronting the Challenges, A Collection of Short Essays, with some BIG, BIG names contributing:
And this is just a sampling of the people I know! There are 30 contributions in this epic ebook that address the scope and difficulties in governing international trade. When I began my long labour of love to becoming a WTO scholar, I wish I had known things like this were out there. If you’re interested in more information on the 30 essays (topic, contributor, etc), send a message, and I’ll pass along the good word. THIS IS A NOT-TO-BE-MISSED FOR TRADE AND POLITICAL ECONOMY SCHOLARS!
just an fyi, Economist, just because a city has a large international population, doesn’t mean they appreciate it. …London is the motivational heart of Britain’s sweeping immigration reform.
There’s nothing brilliant about gentrification, discrimination in employment, or the massive wage/wealth gap that still cripples London Britain, astounding the entire world on how a country SO BROKE can still function.
Tomorrow’s cover today: in praise of the world’s most international city. If only the rest of Britain properly appreciated it.
Summer prep for Introduction to International Relations.
…I think this could be an album cover (based on #s) but if Google don’t know, I don’t know ;-)
*TELL ME*
Whether you believe the Republicans are engaging in purposely destructive fiscal behavior or are simply fiscally incompetent, it almost doesn’t matter. It most certainly is bad economic policy and that should be part of any national debate not only on who is to blame for the current economic mess, but also what steps should be taken to get out from underneath it.
Rarely do I engage in posts about US politics, but ‘Did Republicans deliberately crash the US economy?’ is worth a post … despite how unproductive and counterintuitive a national debate on ‘who is to blame’ could be.
(credit to Christopher Mills, University of Manchester, for the link)
WHY MUST I CHOOSE
BETWEEN FALSE DICHOTOMIES!!!!
Krugman piece ala the Guardian 3 June 2012; Stiglitz piece ala NPR 5 June 2012 … you guys have GOT to coordinate this better. I simply cannot do the pee-dance in one week deciding which I actually have the time to read/listen!
Personal Narrative (feel free to scroll down):
I have a proclivity to feel ‘abandoned’ and ‘powerless’ in social relations. I use these terms in inverted commas to reflect that there are no defined words for what I feel because these adjectives and emotions are reflective of human relations. What I feel is distinctly a product of human-state relations. As a ‘good’ citizen (see Rousseau, The Social Contract) and an academic in politics, political science, political economy, I have followed the rules, I have put faith in a ‘system’, and the ‘system’, embodied by the state, has abandoned me and left me feeling powerless to affect even the most minute details in my own personal life (see the traditional ‘American’ libertarian argument).
Is it clear yet that you don’t matter (the heart of this post):
So here’s my question to ‘Americans’: is it enough yet? Is it clear that despite your massive numbers, your political, social, and economic participation that you do not matter? Is it apparent yet that you have little control over your own lives if you do not conform and integrate fully into the systemic model of corporate, anti-privacy, anti-choice, U.S.A.?
That’s the academic question: are you ALL aware now that you do not matter to your government? Are you aware that they have violated the terms of contractual governance? Are you aware that the principle of ‘good offices’ or the clause of ‘full faith’ no longer exists?
On tumblr, most of you are. Well done you; unfortunately, this is not sufficient.
The activist question (yes, I’m setting up a dichotomy), therefore, is what are you going to do about it?
The U.S. government is making many forms of traditional political participation less accessible, in some cases even illegal (CISPA, NDAA, etc.). At this point, they are threatening ‘alternative’ lifestyles (gender, sexuality, colour, nationality and religion if you’re Middle Eastern…).
I think the question you should ask yourselves (if you are interested in remaining in the United States or lack the resources to expatriate) is why. Why are historic methods of social, economic, and political life now being restricted or reversed by your government?
I hope, I sincerely hope as someone who has a vested interest in many of the bodies in your country, the answer to that question will inform your response to the activist question I posed previously.
My very best wishes to you. I speak for all citizens of the world when I say we are all watching, we are all part of the ‘trickle down’, we stand in solidarity, and we fear for your safety and ability to lead your life as you see fit (without causing harm).
The Flaming Lips
The [Latin American and Caribbean] region’s trade relationship with China therefore presents both opportunities and challenges. One major challenge is to prevent the growing trade with China from reproducing and entrenching a centreperiphery trade pattern in which China emerges as a new centre and the countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region as a new periphery. What is required, then, is progress towards trade relations that are more in keeping with the economic and social development patterns that this region needs.
The region must tap this historic opportunity to make the investments in infrastructure, innovation and human resources needed to convert the gains derived from natural resources into human capital and international competitiveness. Higher levels of innovation and the endogenous development of technological capabilities should be promoted as a matter of urgency.
I would like 10 minutes alone with this document, please. *blush*
The Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) released a new publication entitled China and Latin America and the Caribbean: Building a strategic economic and trade relationship.
This document argues that China and the Latin American and Caribbean region now enjoy a sufficiently mature relationship and are poised to make a qualitative leap towards a mutually beneficial strategic alliance. It is available in English and Spanish.
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inspired by the work of SAUL BASS, ART GOODMAN and DAVE NAGATA.
hitchcock typeface by MATT TERICH. tumblr theme by MATTHEW BUCHANAN.
