Comments on: The Structural Power of Capital http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:39:38 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Nick L http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/comment-page-1/#comment-169344 Nick L Tue, 22 Aug 2006 15:09:00 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/#comment-169344 <i>Don’t look to the Marxists for explanations of the relative powers of different producer interests... Agricultural production has concentrated benefits, free trade in agriculture has diffuse ones. There are information and lobbying costs, so concentration of costs and benefits matter</i> Isn't this precisely the argument offered by the late Susan Strange, Marxian international political economist? Don’t look to the Marxists for explanations of the relative powers of different producer interests… Agricultural production has concentrated benefits, free trade in agriculture has diffuse ones. There are information and lobbying costs, so concentration of costs and benefits matter

Isn’t this precisely the argument offered by the late Susan Strange, Marxian international political economist?

]]> By: abb1 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/comment-page-1/#comment-169314 abb1 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 07:14:33 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/#comment-169314 <i>...suggests business doesn’t have much power to shape the political agenda...</i> Generally I like contrarianism, but the 'earth is flat' variety is not very interesting. …suggests business doesn’t have much power to shape the political agenda…

Generally I like contrarianism, but the ‘earth is flat’ variety is not very interesting.

]]> By: C. L. Ball http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/comment-page-1/#comment-169302 C. L. Ball Tue, 22 Aug 2006 02:05:39 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/#comment-169302 Henry and Dan can both be right. The TABD might not be influential even if capital is influential more generally. But if we ask whether agribusiness or internationalized manufacturing and services firms shape government policy, I'm not sure how we sustain a Marxist argument given the economic structure of high income countries like the EU members and the US. Agriculture is a trivial percentage of value added GDP (less than 2% on average) and only around 10% of merchandise trade. Henry and Dan can both be right. The TABD might not be influential even if capital is influential more generally.

But if we ask whether agribusiness or internationalized manufacturing and services firms shape government policy, I’m not sure how we sustain a Marxist argument given the economic structure of high income countries like the EU members and the US. Agriculture is a trivial percentage of value added GDP (less than 2% on average) and only around 10% of merchandise trade.

]]> By: Henry http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/comment-page-1/#comment-169297 Henry Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:12:35 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/#comment-169297 There's actually more in common between leftists and public choice theorists than you might think. Not least, I recommend you check out some of the "no bullshit Marxists" - Erik Olin Wright, Jon Elster etc, who combine Marxist theory with rational choice analysis in their 1980s work. Not necessarily ideological enemies at all, in the sense that you mean. There’s actually more in common between leftists and public choice theorists than you might think. Not least, I recommend you check out some of the “no bullshit Marxists” – Erik Olin Wright, Jon Elster etc, who combine Marxist theory with rational choice analysis in their 1980s work. Not necessarily ideological enemies at all, in the sense that you mean.

]]> By: derrida derider http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/comment-page-1/#comment-169290 derrida derider Mon, 21 Aug 2006 22:59:06 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/08/21/the-structural-power-of-capital/#comment-169290 Don't look to the Marxists for explanations of the relative powers of different producer interests - look to their ideological enemies, the public choice theorists. Agricultural production has concentrated benefits, free trade in agriculture has diffuse ones. There are information and lobbying costs, so concentration of costs and benefits matter. Don’t look to the Marxists for explanations of the relative powers of different producer interests – look to their ideological enemies, the public choice theorists.

Agricultural production has concentrated benefits, free trade in agriculture has diffuse ones. There are information and lobbying costs, so concentration of costs and benefits matter.

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