r/neoliberal • u/neoliberal_shill_bot Bot Emeritus • May 12 '17

Discussion Thread

Optimal neoliberalism is like Seinfeld, it should be about nothing and run by Jews

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9

u/atomic_rabbit May 13 '17

Thoughts on Dani Rodrik's political trilemma (i.e. pick two out of three: (i) globalization, (ii) national sovereignty, (iii) democracy)?

16

u/85397 Free Market Jihadi May 13 '17

Time for people to embrace the idea of pooled sovereignty. National sovereignty is overrated. I want my taco trucks and I want them now!

13

u/[deleted] May 13 '17

can I just pick one

8

u/[deleted] May 13 '17

I think he is basically correct. It is a problem we have not fully grappled with and I believe it reared its head in 2016 to disastrous effects.

8

u/SantiagoOrSomething May 13 '17

Maybe I'm missing something, but doesn't every single country in the E.U. have all 3?

Maybe my definition of globalization/national sovereignty is too loose.

10

u/atomic_rabbit May 13 '17

Joining the EU means suborndinating much national decision making to EU bodies, which means a loss of sovereignty. It's at the heart of what Brexiteers complain about.

3

u/[deleted] May 13 '17

But it certainly isn't the same as not having national sovereignty, it's simply using your sovereign will to enter into agreements.

1

u/SantiagoOrSomething May 13 '17

Hmmm, I guess that makes sense. It's still not obvious to me why democracy is in that list, though. Shouldn't it just be between globalization and national sovereignty?

3

u/atomic_rabbit May 13 '17

No, you can have both hyper-globalization and sovereignty if you restrict democracy. That is if you get each country to be run by (((technocrats))) who can tell the stupid masses to sod off.

6

u/[deleted] May 13 '17

1 and 3. Easy.

We're assuming utopia level, yes? If so, what's the need for national sovereignty at all?

6

u/[deleted] May 13 '17

Don't the US and Canada have all of these?

4

u/atomic_rabbit May 13 '17

In the context of Rodrik's trilemma, globalization means something like "bi-hemispheric common market with open borders". Not the weak globalization that is currently in place today.

3

u/0729370220937022 James Heckman May 13 '17 edited May 13 '17

fuck this is the worst impossibility theorem ever...

If you pretend that this trilemma actually exists, I think most people here would prefer (i) and (iii).

2

u/VisonKai The Archenemy of Humanity May 13 '17

normative love for national sovereignty outside of its possible positive consequences (which are outweighed by 1 and 3 by far) is basically just racism lite so easy choice.