tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post864599462954370410..comments2024-03-28T12:50:25.792-04:00Comments on The Philosopher's Stone: BEFORE I GET STARTEDRobert Paul Wolffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11970360952872431856noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-41828569667700161662015-06-05T23:16:32.966-04:002015-06-05T23:16:32.966-04:00Thanks for these bits. You have uncovered things t...Thanks for these bits. You have uncovered things that I did not know. <br /><br />As for the discussion on socialism, I would be interested to know what you think about Venezuela. A Canadian economist from my university (Michael Lebowitz) [who, as an aside, I categorise as one of those Marxists who tries (unsuccessfully) to 'go beyond' Marx] has written on Latin America and is a former resident in Venezuela. From what I've read of Mike, it seems he's a big fan of self-management and an admirer of the Yugoslav version of socialism in its time, except that it was all contingent on Tito. Once he was gone, so was much of his project. But the idea of self-management is a great one to Mike, inspired by the early soviets of course. Anyway, the reason I bring him up is because like many others on the left, Mike is under the impression that socialism is actually existing in Venezuela. I don't think so. It seems to me that Venezuela, aside from being over romanticised (very much like the Zapatista), is trying hard to set up a kind of European welfare state which obviously is different from socialism. What do you all think? I hope at some point we can address (if we haven't already) the case of Venezuela in our discussion of socialism. classtrugglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17537776267404584351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-87983835313229610152015-06-05T18:23:52.446-04:002015-06-05T18:23:52.446-04:00In one of those "it's a small world"...In one of those "it's a small world" type moments, the Grand-Niece (I think) of John Galbraith is a colleague of Tobias's at Penn Law. (Her name is Jean, and she specializes on international law.) Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01446428606119200980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-59471714275874393132015-06-05T16:40:03.204-04:002015-06-05T16:40:03.204-04:00Prof. Wolff,
A charming story, as usual.
I mysel...Prof. Wolff,<br /><br />A charming story, as usual.<br /><br />I myself have stumbled upon our own celebrities, politicians, and the occasional member of the intelligentsia (never with influential economists, though) and I was often left rather unimpressed in several ways. The main exception that comes to mind is Tony Jones (an Australian TV journalist well-known for his often heated interviews with the powerful). <br /><br />My impression of him, in the few moments we spoke: a real gentleman and a nice bloke. A really cool guy.<br /><br />------------<br /><br />@Chris<br /><br />"James has also made some effort to confirm and popularize the work of Andrew Kliman."<br /><br />Great! Can you provide any pointers, links, whatever?Magpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07528637318288802178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-19196193752927349682015-06-05T16:32:31.558-04:002015-06-05T16:32:31.558-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Magpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07528637318288802178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-71361529321421948122015-06-05T12:47:59.016-04:002015-06-05T12:47:59.016-04:00James has also made some effort to confirm and pop...James has also made some effort to confirm and popularize the work of Andrew Kliman.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08250295324149056708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5687347459208158501.post-55600028134046505902015-06-05T11:19:04.019-04:002015-06-05T11:19:04.019-04:00As usual, great stories. I actually had the opport...As usual, great stories. I actually had the opportunity to ride up in an elevator with him, at Harvard, in 1974. While I was summoning up some witty remark, the doors opened and he departed.<br /><br />Do you follow his son's (James) economics? James, who is close to the Finance Minister of Greece, Varoufakis, is not unlike his father, politically.Jerry Fresiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17566575038825699112noreply@blogger.com