Does anyone else read The Economist

[Blubber]

I subscribed to that shit a month ago, I love it. Great magazine, so much better than Time or Newsweek or shit.

 

[collegiateLifter]

i was thinking about subscribing--- pretty expensive though. they definately have a different perspective than most mass media garbage and i like that.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

I will check it out.

 

[Blubber]

Yeah, I like it, because it's more detailed and intellectual than the mass media shit like Time....and it's not as difficult to read as a real political journal, if I subscribed to a real political journal, I would never read it, let's be honest.

The Economist is good.

 

[ZKaudio]

I get it, but it's a bit pricey.

 

[HansNZ]

Yes, I've been reading it for years.

But when you read it, you do have to bear in mind that it is extremely right-wing. There are significant contrary opinions to the persepctives the economist promotes which are not covered by that magazine.

Sometimes it borders on the absurd. It is basically a bible of the neo-liberal managerial class who like to have their agenda endorsed instead of challenged.

 

[Doktor Bollix]

I love the Economist.

Good example of classic European liberalism; which in America agitates both Democrats and Republicans, always a bonus.

Sometimes the editorials are bizarre though. For example when George Bush the Junior was running for president, some newspapers called him an idiot, and others endorsed him. The Economist did both.

 

[the nature boy]

Yes, I've been reading it for years.

But when you read it, you do have to bear in mind that it is extremely right-wing. There are significant contrary opinions to the persepctives the economist promotes which are not covered by that magazine.

Sometimes it borders on the absurd. It is basically a bible of the neo-liberal managerial class who like to have their agenda endorsed instead of challenged.

you think it's RIGHT wing? are you kidding?

 

[HansNZ]

you think it's RIGHT wing? are you kidding?

You aren't SERIOUSLY going to claim that the Economist isn't right wing are you? It is as capitalistic and economically liberal as you can get.

 

[the nature boy]

well upon reading reviews of the economist, it seems to be pro free trade, which might make it conservative in some eyes (not in mine) but on social issues (death penalty, gay rights, etc) it is LIBERAL. I'm not thoe only one who thinks so


http://www.libertarian.co.uk/lapubs/libhe/libhe004.pdf

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...rev_next/103-0321838-4811822?show=-submittime

http://www.epinions.com/mags-Economist__The/display_~reviews

 

[Doktor Bollix]

You aren't SERIOUSLY going to claim that the Economist isn't right wing are you? It is as capitalistic and economically liberal as you can get.

Unlike the rest of the world, in America liberal and right-wing are opposites.

Yeah, I've never been able to figure it out either.

 

[HansNZ]

Unlike the rest of the world, in America liberal and right-wing are opposites.

Yeah, I've never been able to figure it out either.

Liberalism is a right-wing ideology. Socialism is a left-wing ideology. When most people in the USA use the term "liberal" they actually mean permissive.

The Economist is an example of a largely classical liberal type of ideology. Modern day lefties have kept the concept of personal freedom but feel that the economic liberalism just translates into freedom for capitalists and subservience for everyone else.

As a result, most of the people classified as left-wing in the USA are liberal in terms of social attitudes, but not in an economic sense. They tend to be more socialistic, i.e. free/cheaper healthcare, education, more labour market and environmental regulation, etc, etc. This is largely the territory of the democratic party.

The types of people called conservatives in the USA have abandoned the socail liberalism, but not the economic liberalism. These people are for less tax, less government (but not when it comes to legislating morality), less regulation, etc, etc. This political ground most closely approximates that occupied by the Republican party.

The ideology which is the closest heir apparent to classical liberalism is modern day libertarianism. This is classified as a right-wing ideology. Naziism is a right-wing ideology. Communism/socialism is a left-wing ideology. Environmentalism and Feminism can be both left and right depending on the brand, but in practice they almost always fall into the left-wing category.