At the end of European Communism, there was a widespread, euphoric hope that freedom and democracy would bring a better life; eventually, though, many lost that hope. The problem, under both Communism and the new liberal dispensation, was that those pursuing grand social projects had embraced ideology instead of philosophy.
considers what an Albanian Marxist philosopher can tell us about liberty in today's world.
For the US, Slovakia's general election may produce another unreliable allied government. But instead of turning a blind eye to such allies, as President Joe Biden has been doing with Poland, or confronting them with an uncompromising stance, the US should spearhead efforts to help mend flawed democracies.
reflect on the outcome of Slovakia's general election in the run-up to Poland's decisive vote.
发自华盛顿特区——跟过去不同,在即将召开的国际货币基金组织和世界银行年会,或者是巴厘岛世界贸易组织贸易部长会议期间或许不会出现大规模抗议行动。但这并不是因为人们觉得这些国际机构变得更高效或者更具合法性了。其真正的原因是相对于十年之前,在更为庞大的市场力量面前它们看上去更加渺小而虚弱,根本不值一提了。
2008年全球金融危机及其余震不但令人们对市场失去了信心,也让民主政府失去了确保市场带动型增长的成果能被大多数人分享的能力。许多人在经济、金融、税制,贸易以及气候事务上满怀恐惧和愤怒,认定是银行家,大企业和G20精英结成的阴谋集团利用内部交易独霸了全球化的成果。
但一些人——不管是普通市民还是放眼国际的经济学家——把我们这些看似虚弱低效的多边组织视为全世界管理和民主化全球市场的最大希望。在他们看来,只有这些组织有能力去阻止那些为全球繁荣埋下长期隐患的精英掠夺和内部寻租。
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