Amazing debate on DemocracyNow! - Naomi Klein v Alan Greenspan
On today's DemocracyNow!, Amy Goodman and Naomi Klein more or less gang up on Alan Greenspan, and leave Greenspan wobbling and gasping for breath. The entire discussion is 40 minutes long, & very far-ranging, ultimately (in the second half, after the break) becoming an implicit debate over the merits or lack thereof of capitalism itself, with Greenspan forced onto the defensive.
...NAOMI KLEIN: Well, Mr. Greenspan, I think it’s worth remembering that the word “populist” simply means popular. So, obviously, a lot of people disagree with your assessment of the benefits of -- ALAN GREENSPAN: A lot of people disagree with my assessment, a lot of people disagree with yours. NAOMI KLEIN: And are interested in another economic model. ALAN GREENSPAN: That’s what makes democracy work. NAOMI KLEIN: There is something that I was quite interested in in your book, which was your definition of corruption and crony capitalism. You said, “When a government's leaders or businesses routinely seek out private sector individuals or businesses and, in exchange for political support, bestow favors on them, the society is said to be in the grip of crony capitalism.” You say, “The favors generally take the form of monopoly access to certain markets, preferred access to sales of government assets, and special access to those in power.” I kept thinking about Halliburton, Blackwater, Lockheed and Boeing. You were referring to Indonesia at the time, but I’m wondering, according to your definition -- and we’re seeing these extraordinary -- we’re seeing contracting emerging, as in the words of the New York Times, a fourth arm of government. Front page of the New York Times talks about $6 billion being investigated for criminal activity in contract allocation in Iraq. I’m wondering whether you think the United States is a crony capitalist economy, according to your definition? ALAN GREENSPAN: Every economy exists, no matter what the level of democracy, has elements of crony capitalism. It’s -- given human nature and given the democratic structures, which we all, I assume, adhere to, that is an inevitable consequence. The major issue is, is it the dominant force within an economy? It was the dominant force under Suharto. It is not the dominant force in this country....
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...NAOMI KLEIN: Well, Mr. Greenspan, I think it’s worth remembering that the word “populist” simply means popular. So, obviously, a lot of people disagree with your assessment of the benefits of -- ALAN GREENSPAN: A lot of people disagree with my assessment, a lot of people disagree with yours. NAOMI KLEIN: And are interested in another economic model. ALAN GREENSPAN: That’s what makes democracy work. NAOMI KLEIN: There is something that I was quite interested in in your book, which was your definition of corruption and crony capitalism. You said, “When a government's leaders or businesses routinely seek out private sector individuals or businesses and, in exchange for political support, bestow favors on them, the society is said to be in the grip of crony capitalism.” You say, “The favors generally take the form of monopoly access to certain markets, preferred access to sales of government assets, and special access to those in power.” I kept thinking about Halliburton, Blackwater, Lockheed and Boeing. You were referring to Indonesia at the time, but I’m wondering, according to your definition -- and we’re seeing these extraordinary -- we’re seeing contracting emerging, as in the words of the New York Times, a fourth arm of government. Front page of the New York Times talks about $6 billion being investigated for criminal activity in contract allocation in Iraq. I’m wondering whether you think the United States is a crony capitalist economy, according to your definition? ALAN GREENSPAN: Every economy exists, no matter what the level of democracy, has elements of crony capitalism. It’s -- given human nature and given the democratic structures, which we all, I assume, adhere to, that is an inevitable consequence. The major issue is, is it the dominant force within an economy? It was the dominant force under Suharto. It is not the dominant force in this country....
LinkHere
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 8:22 PM
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