Comments on: John Bonython Lecture 2012 – Capitalism and Virtue: Reaffirming Old Truths

By: Ellen of Tasmania

Ellen of Tasmania — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 07:56:06 +0000

It would be interesting to look at it in an historical context. There have been upper classes in the past that were ignorant of the life of the working classes – of the let-them-eat-cake sort. How has it worked out in other places and times?

By: H B Bear

H B Bear — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:16:51 +0000

Impressive. Dr Murray is one of the people like Theodore Dalrymple, Nigel Farage and others, telling people what they don’t want to hear. They are variously unpopular, controversial, howled down and correct.

If you give bureaucrats the power to run our lives nothing will restrain them except taking that power away from them. (at 34.27)

By: blind freddy

blind freddy — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:11:06 +0000

Sinc
Found the lecture interesting but somewhat didactic.
Here in debate
Class Conflict, Inequality, the 1% – Ralph Nader, Niall Ferguson, Charles Murray, Lewis Lapham http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEdY2OZXVd4
much more energetic and pointed

By: Louis Hissink

Louis Hissink — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:00:19 +0000

Notice that he made no distinction between democrats and republicans.

By: MattR

MattR — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:31:56 +0000

Great lecture, entertaining and informative.

By: DavidLeyonhjelm

DavidLeyonhjelm — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 06:28:12 +0000

This generally corresponds with the analysis by Bernard Salt, who defines the new upper class in Australia as those within the “goat cheese curtain”.

By that he means there are postcodes within which goat cheese is commonly found in the fridge and those where it will never be found, making it a useful proxy indicator of class.

I find Dr Murray’s arguments both interesting and persuasive, notwithstanding obvious cultural differences between the US and here. For example, being more upfront about community engagement, which he would like the new upper class to do, probably runs contrary to the Australian preference for catatonic modesty.

We also have a political class totally dominated by people who have only worked in the public sector, mainly in political roles. I understand it’s not quite that bad in the US.

By: RodClarke

RodClarke — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 02:41:43 +0000

Great stuff – loved the Historical analysis