Fw: post-autistic economics newsletter, No. 2, October 2000
- Original Message - From: post-autistic economics newsletter To: pae news Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2000 6:43 PM Subject: post-autistic economics newsletter, No. 2, October 2000 sanity, humanity and science post-autistic economics newsletter No. 2, 3 October 2000 Subscribers in 36 countries To subscribe, email "subscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] FRANCE "It was in the beginning," opens the Le Monde article of September 13th, "a modest initiative, almost confidential. It has now become a subject of important debate which has put in a state of effervescence the community of economists. Should not the teaching of economics in universities be rethought?" ( www.lemonde.fr/article/0,2320,93489,00.html ) The first issue of this newsletter reported on the events leading to this "effervescence". Briefly, they were as follows. In June a small group of economics students put on the web ( www.respublica.fr/autisme-economie ) a petition protesting against economics' "uncontrolled use of mathematics". This indulgence, it said, creates "a true schizophrenia" because the mathematics has "become an end in itself" resulting in an "autistic science". The petition called for an end both to this and to the repressive domination of neoclassical theory in the curriculum. The students called instead for a pluralism of approaches with emphasis on engagement with economic realities. Within two weeks the student petition had 150 signatures, many from France's most prestigious universities. The students publicized these results. On the 21st of June Le Monde picked up the story. It featured a lengthy and sympathetic article on the students' call for reform. ( www.lemonde.fr/article_impression/0,2322,72463,00.html ) Other French newspapers and magazines, as well as TV and radio, soon followed with the result that the number of signatures on the economics students' petition reached 600. The perceived seriousness of the controversy increased when at the end of June some professors launched a petition of their own ( www.republica.fr/autisme-economie ), backing the students and offering further analysis and evidence supporting the need for reform. The French minister of education announced that he was looking into the matter. Then in July everyone left for "the long vac". Now they are returning and Le Monde has reopened the public debate. So too has the national radio network, "French Culture", which on 21 September carried a program on the controversy, featuring two students and a professor from the post-autistic camp. Nor has the government forgotten about it. Le Monde reports that Jack Lang, the minister of education, has informed it that soon he will be announcing "the formation of a commission charged with making an evaluation of the situation and submitting to him some proposals. An economist of renown has been approached about leading this investigation." Meanwhile the students and the reformist academics are regrouping in preparation for the next stage of the campaign. A meeting of the petition signatories, now 800, is being held at the Sorbonne on October 4th. Student leaders, Olivier Vaury and Gilles Raveaud, report that following the Paris meeting the pluralists will organize and conduct debates in universities throughout France. (The movement which began in the capital is now nation-wide.) These debates will continue through mid-November. Then in December a big national meeting is being planned for Paris. This will include both students and teachers committed to reform and will develop detailed, concrete criticism and proposals. Speaking for the students, Raveaud adds, "and we will claim our place" in the governmental commission that is being set up. The post-autistic economics movement in France is also looking forward to more coverage in periodicals, including economics journals. The national newspaper Libération, which featured a full page on the crises in economics in its July 31st issue, is planning another such feature for late October. Vaury reports that "we will have some important articles in Télérama (2.5 million readers) and there will be articles on this issue in L'Economie Politque (November edition)." Another article is scheduled to appear in the journal Alternatives Economiques. Student leaders report, that when last summer it began to appear that the reform movement in France was not about to go away, some neoclassicists tried to dismiss it as a Trotskyite conspiracy which included Le Monde. This convinced no one, and since then things seemed to have moved on. For example, the week before last there was a conference at the Sorbonne, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the mainstream La Revue Economique. Attendees report that discussions spontaneously diverged to issues that have been raised by the reformists. Watch this space for further developments. GL
Fw: On the general strike in Norway
In case any of you might be
interestedin one case "study":
Yours,Arno (+47)
66806373http://daastol.com http://sportaxi.com
- Original Message -
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, May 06, 2000 1:27
PM
Subject: Strike?
Dear Arno, I understand that there is a gdneral
strike in Norway over high salaries and the culture of greed. Is this
true? Michael
Dear Michael,
the situation here is that almost
everybody here are shocked and dead angry about certain principles of the
"new" economy. A poster at a march yesterday "one broker is one too much".
Captains of industry, virtual or not, have been giving themselves enormous
(from a Norwegain standpoint) payouts in the shape of salaries, option
agreements and parachutes while at the same time doing relatively poor jobs
(which is why they "need" parachutes, for instance the extra costs of one oil
platform, Aasgard, of $ 2,2 billions). The national economy is booming
and unemployment is very minor, although there is some hidden unemployment in
the shape of social security/"handicap pensions" etc.
At the same time they have been preaching
moderation to the unions who have listened and agreed. Until recently. The
press announcents of the parachutes immedeately before the national
renegotionations of wages set off a fire. Even though unions bosses accepted
the result of negotions, an obligatory general vote on the result turned it
down by 64,5 % and practically EVERYBODY regardless of occupation or political
creed have agreed VERY much on the need to set an example. No noe can remember
such a uninimous national mood. The employers and their union have really made
fools of themselves by making sure that nobody will take their pleas for
moderation seriously for a long time to come.
On the other hand few expect the strike to
do much good about the problem that all find to be most serious, "but what can
we do? Strike is the only weapon available". Union leaders are getting a
stronger opposition every day because of the coopertive mood of their
leaders.
The reason for this strong reaction is
also the national phsyche of the Norwegians. Equality (and strong-headed
individualism) is a much praised good here, especially on the Western coast,
and as on Iceland I presume. Quite interesting the West coast is also the
least socialist-minded area. Nobility for instance (+Jews and Jesuits, this
clause removed 1831), has been illegal since the Constitution of 1814, and we
have had no true nobility ever, and especially not after the Black Plague
(1347 and 1361) wiped them out. The Danish and Swedish nobles we had here
during the unions with those coountries, have not been much liked to say the
least. Salaries is another indication of the love for egalitarianism: The
busdriver I talked to today eared $ 35.000 a year and all university
professors, regardless of kind, earn 45.000. Civil Engineers earn around
35.000 too. Average industrial wage is 30.000, average wage some 25.000 (low
income groups are hotel, restaurant, shops, cleaning).
The pay rise among leaders in 1999 was
16,5 %. Organised labour got 1 %. The original offer now was 8 cents an hour
(ca. 0.7 %, 3 year agreement period) The renegotioted offer was 1,5%, 2 year
period, a fifth vacation week and more "after education" (increased competence). The national
union leader si a VERY skilled performer, swears a lot on TV and is much liked
for his "artistic" abilities. He said today that he HAD woken up after
noticing that the union rank and file slammed the door in his face, ("I am a
bit slowminded, but even I have limits here"). Work started today but the
result of the new negotiation also has to be accepted byt rank and file
through a national vote.
The Norwegian car-parts industry (for BMW,
Volvo, SAAB, etc) operates with just in time delivery and the car companies in
Sweden had to close yesterday. There were threats to find other suppliers.
Therefore, workers voluntarily showed up at the factory gates at 04.00 am this
morning in order to start work
Here is the internet news in English from
our largest serious newspaper:
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/
[PEN-L:12011] Email Democracy
Title: Email Democracy http://www.gen.com/solutions/emaildem.htm Email Democracy Organize for Freedom and Democracy Why waste paper, time, and money? Communicate electronically with your Representatives in government. 86 Senators and 195 Representatives have email addresses as of 2-11-97. Instructions 1 - Select a recipient by clicking on the button next to their name.2 - Select "Compose Letter" to write your letter.3 - Select the "Send mail" button when you are finished. Find your Representative Enter THEIR last name: ORenter YOUR zip Code: Service Provided by Contacting the Congress The White House President Bill Clinton First Lady Hillary Clinton Vice-President Al Gore Compose Letter Quick Access Aid [ Alaska | Alabama | Arkansas | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Guam | Hawaii | Iowa | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Massachusetts | Maryland | Michigan | Minnesota | Missouri | Mississippi | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregan | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennesee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | West Virginia | Wyoming ] AlaskaCompose Letter Senator Ted Stevens Senator Frank Murkowski RepresentativesDon Young AlabamaCompose Letter Senator Jeff Sessions Senator Richard Shelby RepresentativesSonny CallahanTerry EverettBob RileyBud CramerSpencer Bachus ArkansasCompose Letter Senator Dale Bumpers Senator Tim Hutchinson RepresentativesJay Dickey ArizonaCompose Letter Senator Jon Kyl Senator John McCain RepresentativesMatt SalmonJohn ShadeggJim Kolbe CaliforniaCompose Letter Senator Barbara Boxer Senator Dianne Feinstein RepresentativesFrank RiggsVic FazioRobert MatsuiLynn WoolseyGeorge MillerEllen TauscherTom LantosPete StarkAnna EshooTom CampbellZoe LofgrenSam FarrGary ConditGeorge RadanovichHoward McKeonDavid DreierEsteban TorresJane HarmanJerry LewisGeorge E. BrownDana RohrabacherChristopher CoxRon PackardBrian Bilbray ColoradoCompose Letter RepresentativesDavid Skaggs ConnecticutCompose Letter Senator Christopher Dodd Senator Joseph Lieberman RepresentativesSam GejdensonChristopher Shays DelawareCompose Letter Senator Joe Biden RepresentativesMichael Castle FloridaCompose Letter Senator Bob Graham Senator Connie Mack RepresentativesJoe ScarboroughKaren ThurmanCliff StearnsJohn MicaMichael BilirakisCharles CanadyDan MillerDave WeldonRobert WexlerPeter DeutschAlcee Hastings GeorgiaCompose Letter Senator Paul Coverdell RepresentativesMac CollinsNewton GingrichBob BarrSaxby ChamblissCharlies NorwoodJohn Linder GuamCompose Letter RepresentativesRobert Underwood HawaiiCompose Letter Senator Daniel Inouye RepresentativesNeil Abercrombie IowaCompose Letter Senator Tom Harkin Senator Charles Grassley RepresentativesJames NussleGreg GanskeTom Latham IdahoCompose Letter Senator Larry Craig Senator Dirk Kempthorne RepresentativesHelen Chenoweth IllinoisCompose Letter Senator Carol Moseley-Braun RepresentativesBobby RushLuis GutierrezJerry WellerJerry CostelloHarris FawellDennis HastertRay LaHoodJohn Shimkus IndianaCompose Letter Senator Richard Lugar RepresentativesDavid McIntoshTim RoemerMark SouderJohn HostettlerLee HamiltonJulia Carson KansasCompose Letter RepresentativesVincent SnowbargerTodd Tiahrt KentuckyCompose Letter Senator Wendell Ford Senator Mitch McConnell RepresentativesEd WhitfieldJim BunningScotty Baesler LouisianaCompose Letter Senator John Breaux RepresentativesJim McCrery MaineCompose Letter Senator Susan Collins Senator Olympia Snowe RepresentativesThomas AllenJohn Baldacci MassachusettsCompose Letter Senator Ted Kennedy Senator John Kerry RepresentativesJohn OlverRichard NealMartin MeehanJoe Moakley MarylandCompose Letter Senator Barbara Mikulski Senator Paul Sarbanes RepresentativesRobert EhrlichBen CardinAlbert Wynn MichiganCompose Letter Senator Carl Levin Senator Spencer Abraham RepresentativesBart StupakPeter HoekstraPeter HoekstraDave CampJames BarciaFred UptonNick SmithDale KildeeSander LevinLynn RiversJohn Conyers MinnesotaCompose Letter Senator Rod Grams Senator Paul Wellstone RepresentativesGil GutknectDavid MingeJim RamstadBruce VentoCollin PetersonJames Oberstar MissouriCompose Letter Senator John Ashcroft Senator Christopher Bond RepresentativesRichard Gephardt MississippiCompose Letter Senator Thad Cochran RepresentativesRoger WickerBennie Thompson MontanaCompose Letter Senator Max Baucus Senator Conrad Burns NebraskaCompose Letter Senator Chuck Hagel Senator Bob Kerrey RepresentativesJon Christensen NevadaCompose Letter Senator Richard Bryan Senator Harry Reid RepresentativesJohn Ensign New HampshireCompose Letter Senator Judd
[PEN-L:11188] Fw: Please call for East Timor today
- Original Message - From: Dr Alan Cheney To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, September 17, 1999 9:15 AM Subject: Please call for East Timor today Very Urgent Action AlertSeptember 16, 1999Phone Your Representative and Senators Immediately to Unblock ReliefShipments to East Timor and to Support HR 2809 and S.1568The situation of the refugees in East Timor is dire. According to the U.N.Food and Agricultural Organization, about 200,000 East Timorese are at riskof starvation if they do not immediately receive relief supplies. But theIndonesian military (TNI) is not cooperating. The TNI is effectivelyblocking Australian efforts to drop relief packages (see article below).As part of your calls to your Congressional Representative and Senators togarner support for HR 2809 and S.1568 (see the Urgent Action of September15), urge Congress and the Senate to work to put immediate pressure onJakarta to stop the blocking of the relief airdrops.The congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 or checkwww.congress.gov or www.visi.com/juan/congress/ for additional contact information. Apologies to non-U.S. recipients. Please call your local East Timor action group and ask how you can help.For more information, contact Karen Orenstein at 202-544-6911 or[EMAIL PROTECTED].=East Timor relief drops delayed by Indonesian military: PMSYDNEY, Sept 16 (AFP) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard said aiddrops into East Timor were not likely to go ahead Thursday because thesafety of the planes could not be assured.Howard told Channel Nine television Australia had yet to get an Indonesianmilitary guarantee they would not shoot down the planes carryingmuch-needed aid.He said difficulties were being experienced because there were no clearlines of command in Indonesia."We had hoped today," Howard said. "The prospect of that, I was told a fewfor more minutes ago, are not all that bright because we're still havingtrouble getting certain assurances from the Indonesian military authorities."We can't take the risk of the planes being shot down because they'reneeded for other things but we want to get the aid in as soon as possible."Now we're working on that over time. We've got the approval of theIndonesian minister but we haven't got the approval of the Indonesianmilitary."Australian troops will help deliver the aid once it arrives on the ground."Under the United Nations resolution, one of the tasks of the force is tofacilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance," Howard said.END
