Niall Ferguson's dishonest "War of the World"

[RHOQ]

Their revealed view of energy (read: oil) markets is pretty mercantilist.

the current republicans very clearly believe in grown not zero sum games. They believe in it enough to believe it will out weigh massive debt incursions.

The approach to private sector contracting in Iraq is also revealing. My guess is these attitudes, if unchecked, will/is translate(ing) in to other areas of the economy, especially those that profit from fixed resources. The Third world privitisation of public utilities may be another example. I'm not an economist but these endeavours seemed not to be about new economic growth, but a transfer in ownership (and therefore of wealth) of (from) existing assests.

But if I were set on US power "winning" in the 21st, I would get a team of the brightests economists to come up with a guesstimate of the capacity of the global economy (something to do with labour to capital ratios?), or have an evolving model of a growing global economy, and frame policy so that the US stayed ahead of the game. This isn't directly analagous to mercantilism, but they certainly won't be leaving it to the free market.

 

[butchersapron]

Niall Ferguson asked to rewrite school syllabus by Tories

Niall Ferguson, the British historian most closely associated with a rightwing, Eurocentric vision of western ascendancy, is to work with the Conservatives to overhaul history in schools.

 

[ernestolynch]

Niall Ferguson asked to rewrite school syllabus by Tories

It won't matter. The TORIES will carry on privatising schools so the National Curriculum will not be statutory in them. There is no 'school syllabus' for what it's worth. Marxist heads of History can have free rein to teach the subject properly.

 

[gorski]

but he slates it, states very early on there has been proven that there is no such thing as race.

slags off all empires.

I just don't get where any of you are coming from, read the economics of the war, and how Britain didn't really give a shit about defeating the nazis as an ideology , it was all economics, how we got into bed with Stalin, even tho' we knew what his carving up of Eastern europe wolud do.

can't see him being particularly right wing myself.

Tito slagged off Stalin when he didn't want to play second fiddle in "his own backyard" and refused to play according to Stalin's tune. He then "fought Stalinism" with Stalinist means. The same mindset, the same rules of the game. Stalin apparently loses in Yugoslavia at that time - but Stalinism wins and lives on...

Ferguson is simply using the same, shallow mindset as those he allegedly attacks, it seems to me...

I saw some of his TV shows, when I was in the UK and my gut feeling is similar...

 

[gorski]

I think you overestimate where America's at right now. The International Community and domestic politics still constrains to some degree its full potential to project power. Typically Empires begin when influence (economic/trade etc) becomes direct rule. When subordinate regimes don't play the game, you invade and set up compliant rulers or do it yourself. Iraq II is the first such experiment. Some will argue that the US has been doing this for years, for example in Latin America. But the covert actions in "spheres of influence" during the cold war are not directly analagous, as evidenced by the current leftists political reactions to neo-liberalism on that continent. What empire would stand for such an open challenge to its will?

Insufficiently strong or interested one.

Or take the UK for example. Right now we have a choice, join the EU, or stay out. A hypothetical American Empire, if it wanted us to stay out, would make sure we did.

In such a mindset there is another possibility: America might also want the EU to succeed, for various reasons, "up to a point" and have their man in the EU to make sure that happens...

The logic of power. The endeavour to stay top dog, whatever the cost etc

What about self-destruction through destruction of others, a process which has the inevitable repercussions for the would-be-top-dog - but in a destroyed neighbourhood??