Re: Economist's social responsibility (was flamewars)

[John Gelles <jjgelles@xxxxxxxx>]

	Dear Bernard,

	I suppose some attack on the rich, who do not
	comprehend noblesse oblige is in order. And
	by extension, some on PKT may want to oppose
	advocacy of the status quo with strong language.

	I am tempted to (and often do)  call people
	who disagree with my advocated prescriptions
	names -- privately, names I would not print in
	public.

	But we, who are activists, have the whole
	net and web to rave and rant on. If we would
	burden scholars with our thoughts, we ought
	to honor their profession and give them our
	best shot. That rules out flames, near flames,
	insults, and long posts that do not say in
	the shortest text, the point we have in mind.

	I have always appreciated your writing for
	being perfect to my eye and ear. And we here
	in an imperfect democracy owe our chance to
	have built it, to your ancestors -- I owe you
	freedom from the Tory turn of mind.

	So, to the degree you are defending Jefferson
	against the Tories, below, I will agree with
	the spirit of your post.

	John

On Tue, 4 Mar 1997, Bernard Girard wrote:

> John Gelles wrote :
>
> >        We are privileged to be in their company.  We want
> >        their advice and approval.  We cannot say that
> >        the field of study, or the social science, or
> >        the "whatever economics is", is itself the cause
> >        of the tragic conditions a branch called political
> >        economy addresses. Nor is classical economics or
> >        econometrics the cause.  Not even "doctrinaire
> >        economics", a phrase that may point to some
> >        economists or to some branch of the study, the
> >        cause.
>
> and
>
> >        Let us all be factual.  Tragic conditions exist.
> >        Neither political science nor economics, as
> >        professions, cause the tragedies.  If we would
> >        invent or discuss cures, we have a choice of
> >        forums.
>
>
> Is that true? Economists write papers in magazines (dont' you read Gary
> Becker in Business week?), and they use their scientific background to push
> their opinions. They work as advisers to government. And when a
> governement, following their advice, puts an end to minimum wages, they
> are, in a way, responsible for what follows.
> We cannot forget that too many economists just behave like advocates of the
> rich and powerful.
>
> Bernard Girard
> <bgirard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
>