[PEN-L:2413] Re: pen-l and censorship

[knoWWare@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Tom Walker)]

Michael Perelman wrote:

>Here are my thoughts on censorship:

>snip.. snip..

>I have read Hayek.  I even once taught a course on him.  But to begin a
>debate on Hayek would dilute the value of the list to most of us, especially
>because there are so many alternative sites where you can carry on such
>a dialogue responsibly.
>

I'm guessing that this was written in haste and Michael doesn't mean to say
what he seems to be saying. It seems to me that arguing AGAINST Hayekism is
as fundamental to progressive economics as arguing FOR Marxism, particularly
since Hayek articulated a specifically anti-marxist analysis. To the extent
that some of Hayek's criticisms of Marxism *in practice* were valid (and, in
some instances, paralleled left wing criticisms of Stalinism), acknowledging
and responding to these criticism could only strengthen progressive economic
thinking.

Perhaps what Michael objects to is dogmatic Hayekians flooding the list with
thick-headed, argumentative testimonials for the marvels of the "free
market". We can all do without those on PEN-l. We know where to find as much
of that stuff as we can stomach. Everywhere.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Only in mediocre art does life unfold as fate." -- Michael Ignatieff

Tom Walker
knoWWare Communications
http://mindlink.net/knowware/