tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post3235831936276411133..comments2023-10-25T08:46:20.242-05:00Comments on The Distributist Review: Come, Let Us Reason TogetherJohn Médaillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463267750952578888noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-35035709708081375682008-07-22T11:38:00.000-05:002008-07-22T11:38:00.000-05:00Hi John,On this: "For example, the modern city sub...Hi John,<BR/><BR/>On this: "For example, the modern city subsidizes the growth of suburbs by "free" roads and other services, without which the suburb could not exist."<BR/><BR/>There is another way to look at it. Big cities depend upon workers to populate all of those skyscrapers during the workday. The cost of even the smallest apartment in a major city is huge when compared to the wage typically earned. Thus, the suburbs subsidize the cities by allowing workers to live at a lower expense so they require a lower wage for subsistence. <BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, with roads being paid for with taxes on gas, and many who live in large cities not even owning cars; suburbanites pay for the roads. Likewise, suburbanites pay taxes in the city in which they work, thus paying for public services (like education) that they and their families are ineligible to use.<BR/><BR/>So it isn't the cities that subsidize the suburbs; but the suburbs that subsidize the cities.<BR/><BR/>You can also see this in terms of taxes and payments related to federal programs. Suburban communities tend to be net donors to the tax system while cities are net recipients of tax dollars.<BR/><BR/>Looking at your overall logic on this, as it is the cities that are huge, it stands to reason that they can only exist on their present scale through massive subsidy. And, in fact, that is what we see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-62304438240885282332008-06-03T18:59:00.000-05:002008-06-03T18:59:00.000-05:00John, will there be any mention of the U.S. Consti...John, will there be any mention of the U.S. Constitution in your section "The Role of Government", or in any other section?Jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04718530044133779893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-433736284322595832008-05-30T17:15:00.000-05:002008-05-30T17:15:00.000-05:00@TPOLG, While a critique of Marxism is always a lo...@TPOLG, While a critique of Marxism is always a lot of fun, I wonder if the subject is not now a dead letter. The objections most Distributists are likely to meet will most likely come from Austrians, neoclassicists, Keynesians, and the like. These, alas, are not dead letters. My hope is that the book will provide them with ammunition for these discussions.John Médaillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16463267750952578888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-52169657533253471922008-05-30T13:33:00.000-05:002008-05-30T13:33:00.000-05:00I might like a more extensive critique of Marx, bu...I might like a more extensive critique of Marx, but I am sure it is sprinkled throughout.<BR/>There are certainly a number of areas I am looking forward to critiquing.A. L. Bracketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04279366590950486985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-2464035809986122812008-05-29T11:00:00.000-05:002008-05-29T11:00:00.000-05:00@Aquinas Dad, all the drafts will be published on ...@Aquinas Dad, all the drafts will be published on this site, and then everyone can make their comments.John Médaillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16463267750952578888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-43808516647462604102008-05-29T10:59:00.000-05:002008-05-29T10:59:00.000-05:00@Papabear. My work is rooted in Aristotle and Aqui...@Papabear. My work is rooted in Aristotle and Aquinas, although hardly confined to those sources. As far as autarky goes, I think that needs some qualification. Man naturally lives by exchange, which poses a problem for autarky. Aristotle was thinking primarily about defense, since the polis was a step up from--and a response to--Greek tribalism. Defense of the city was primary, and for defense one must not be dependent on potential rivals for food and other necessities (Smith makes these the exceptions to free trade.) I take "autarky" in the sense that one must be able to produce enough to pay for what one consumes, which condemns the American economy as it presently is. <BR/><BR/>Size and scale is certainly an issue. However, things naturally work to a natural scale, and when they don't, when they become gargantuan, you will almost always discover a system of subsidies and sanctions that allow for such a scale. For example, the modern city subsidizes the growth of suburbs by "free" roads and other services, without which the suburb could not exist. Gargantuan corporations are only possible because of limited liability, which relieves the owners of the normal hazards of owning any resource.John Médaillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16463267750952578888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-6827324967795732272008-05-29T09:26:00.000-05:002008-05-29T09:26:00.000-05:00I look forward to reading it. As a theologian that...I look forward to reading it. As a theologian that works on economic theology, please feel free to, uh, let me red advanced drafts?<BR/><BR/>:-)Aquinas Dadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16760282282923079133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-16765530016428230792008-05-28T17:48:00.000-05:002008-05-28T17:48:00.000-05:00Dr. Médaille,Have you talked to Dr. Rupert Ederer ...Dr. Médaille,<BR/><BR/>Have you talked to Dr. Rupert Ederer about your project? <BR/><BR/>I need to see if Fr. Pesch offers a definition of economics in his massive works. (Surely he must.) In 1.1 will you discuss the difference between 'economics' and 'politics' and how modern notions of both might differ from the Aristotelian notions? <BR/><BR/>Also, would you be discussing the Aristotelian and Thomistic arguments for autarky as being, at the minimum, ideal for the attainment of the common good? (This would also lay the foundation for the future discussion of trade.) <BR/><BR/>It would seem to me that one would also need to touch upon the finitude of natural resources and natural limits, just as Schumacher and Kirkpatrick Sale have done, with respect to both autarky and a principle of economic activity.<BR/><BR/>(The limits to natural resources should be a given for economics and would also provide a normative basis for our co-operating with natural cycles of replenishment, etc.)<BR/><BR/>Aristotle's discussion of the limits to the size of a community might be important as well.papabearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12180053825589485150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-45661433748897339932008-05-28T09:31:00.000-05:002008-05-28T09:31:00.000-05:00@Kate, you're the "go to" gal.@Laurie, I am not fa...@Kate, you're the "go to" gal.<BR/><BR/>@Laurie, I am not familiar with LETS. Would you like to write up something to introduce it to our readers?<BR/><BR/>@William, Indeed, the problem of usury must be faced squarely. Funds dedicated to usury compete with funds available for investment. Interest is justified as a participation in profit, and where there is no profit, there can be no interest. Which reminds me, I have to have something about the difference between investment and speculation; the former adds to the wealth of society, the latter is just an exchange of gains and losses between the gamblers, with no net gain to society. It is that social evil which Ghandi called "wealth without work." <BR/><BR/>@to all, thank you for your comments; I am looking forward to this project.<BR/><BR/>JohnJohn Médaillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16463267750952578888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-70088858641750097762008-05-28T03:27:00.000-05:002008-05-28T03:27:00.000-05:00This sounds most excellent, I look forward to seei...This sounds most excellent, I look forward to seeing the First Draft copies and the final product. Not that I to want to ask you do more work, but the problem of Usury is one of the primary difficulties not only of the modern economy, but of Catholic economics in particular. A critique of it would certainly be useful, even if it falls into a defence of a certain amount of Interest on loans say, because money in no longer a pure medium of exchange, but a commodity itself. Additionally, you seem to have the chapter heading 'Economic Equilibrium' twice.<BR/><BR/>If only we could drink beer (or wine), in a pub, over the internet…William Peadenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247080394032324152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-38984144952403328812008-05-27T22:48:00.000-05:002008-05-27T22:48:00.000-05:00Sounds great - I look forward to reading it (and I...Sounds great - I look forward to reading it (and I might even purchase the hardcopy after reading the blog version - the experience of having it in hand is so much better!)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16607534087145066337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-15815926570016928552008-05-27T21:46:00.001-05:002008-05-27T21:46:00.001-05:00John, This sounds wonderful. I'm no economist, but...John, <BR/><BR/>This sounds wonderful. I'm no economist, but would you also include Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS) as another example of the triumph of distributism? They seem to be quite well spread and have been described as a 'usury-free form of money'.<BR/><BR/>TybourneLaurie Petchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03010794520692596227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-54701737290720891902008-05-27T21:46:00.000-05:002008-05-27T21:46:00.000-05:00John, This sounds wonderful. I'm no economist, but...John, <BR/><BR/>This sounds wonderful. I'm no economist, but would you also include Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS) as another example of the triumph of distributism? They seem to be quite well spread and have been described as a 'usury-free form of money'.<BR/><BR/>TybourneLaurie Petchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03010794520692596227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-58096693441122780372008-05-27T21:19:00.000-05:002008-05-27T21:19:00.000-05:00Looking forward to it...Looking forward to it...Jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04718530044133779893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-48184991941161598732008-05-27T19:22:00.000-05:002008-05-27T19:22:00.000-05:00Sounds like a great idea! Go for it.Sounds like a great idea! Go for it.Malcolmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11313026392511626084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608702.post-60736839824041880442008-05-27T19:01:00.000-05:002008-05-27T19:01:00.000-05:00A new book--Whoo-hoo!Hey, I know this really good ...A new book--Whoo-hoo!<BR/><BR/>Hey, I know this really good proofreader. She charges reasonable rates....Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10324347664099765392noreply@blogger.com