Although many right -wing people are under the banner of liberalism, it is actually progressive people who are promoting a national free agenda.We can use the perspective of economists to clarify this problem.
Democratic presidential candidate Harris regards freedom as the core theme of campaign activities.Under the title of "defending our basic freedom", her website explained: "Vice President Harris struggle for our future and is also a free struggle. Many basic freedom in this election is at stakeThe right to decide on your body; openly and proudly love the rights of the one you love; and the freedom to open all other rights: freedom of voting. "
This information she conveyed is welcomed.U.S. progressive people should now recapture the freedom of freedom from liberal and right -wing, especially when the current right -wing representatives are completely back with freedom.Although many right -wing people are under the banner of liberalism, it is actually progressive people who are promoting a national free agenda.
We can use the perspective of economists to clarify this problem.First of all, one of the basic components of freedom is the freedom of action, that is, to exert its own potential.Those who are barely ordered to be hungry have no real freedom and can only be busy for survival.
Secondly, in a society consisting of many interdependent individuals, the freedom of some people may mean the unwillingness of another person.As Oxford's philosopher Isaiah Berlin said, "the freedom of wolf often means the death of sheep."If the government does not intervene, financial liberalization in the 1990s and 2000s, that is, the freedom of the banker, will mean the death of the economy; howeverThe freedom of people and many workers and house owners.
Third, moderate compulsive means can effectively expand everyone's freedom.When we work together, we can do things that individuals cannot do it alone; but in order to avoid the problem of ride, some mandatory measures may be needed.
Fourth, although neo -liberal economics has expanded the freedom of the enterprise's exploitation of others, it does not bring overall prosperity, let alone common prosperity.As early as neo -liberalism began to be popular in the era of Reagan and Sacham, good economic theory had predicted this.In addition, neo -liberalism is even unsustainable, because it encourages the personal characteristics and market behavior of destroying economic operations.
Economy depends on trust.This year's Nobel Prize winners Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson emphasized the importance of the system;But in Trump, a selfishness, began to openly violate the norms and show extremely dishonesty, even if it seems a good system, it cannot play a role.
Fifth, with conservatives and liberals such as Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek, which are not restricted.It is neither a necessary condition for political freedom, or even not conducive to political freedom.The rise of autocratic populism is the most obvious in those governments (in solving poverty, unequal, and unsafe, etc.).
Harris and Trump's comparison in some core freedom, such as women's rights to control their bodies, are very obvious.In each major issue of this election, Harris will expand the freedom of Americans, while Trump will limit it.The core of the Harris agenda is to help ordinary people in the United States, rather than returning to Trump's last time, and the famous trickling economics used during the presidency.The billionaire and large -scale enterprise tax reduction policy he proposed will increase about $ 7.5 trillion in national debt in the next few years, and this burden will enable the descendants of Americans to enjoy less freedom.
Although the global inflation rate has soared after the crown disease epidemic, it seems to have been controlled, but Americans still have reason to worry about drugs and house prices.Harris proposed measures to prevent price fraud, but these measures were widely misunderstood.She does not advocate that the federal government has set prices, and many states have also introduced anti -price fraud laws to prevent enterprises from using special conditions such as hurricanes and floods.If there is any need to be supplemented, it is that the epidemic shows that such policies need to be strengthened and executed.
Similarly, reducing the inflation law stipulates that the price of some drugs should be reduced from a significant high level. Patients with diabetes such as insulin are indispensable and have been published for nearly a century of drugs.Nevertheless, the United States can do more work to make drug prices closer to European level, because the latter has more severe laws to crack down on the abuse of market dominance.Harris will be committed to achieving this goal, while Trump vowed to abolish the reduction of inflation, thereby increasing the drug prices that the American people need to bear.
Trump also promises to raise tariffs and impose 100%tariffs on goods from China, which will directly lead to rising prices of clothing, electrical appliances and many other products purchased by ordinary Americans.In fact, his entire economic agenda is equivalent to levying huge refund taxes on low -income Americans.The freedom of people as consumers will be restricted because they can be reduced at will.
In addition, Harris has released a comprehensive plan to increase housing supply, reduce housing costs, and improve the budget tolerance of the first home buyer, but Trump has remained silent in this key issue.
Finally, in order to support Americans to play potential freely, Harris's agenda includes a vision and an opportunity to expand, especially some preliminary specific steps for the entrepreneurial spirit.These measures are good for those who want to start a business and the overall economy.
Trump is a living example of right -wing denying freedom. Fortunately, Harris shows how progressives support and promote this core value of the United States.
Author Joseph E. Stiglitz is the former chief economist of the World Bank, former chairman of the US Presidential Economic Consultant Committee, Columbia University -level professor, Nobel Prize winner
English Original: Harris is the Freedom Candidate
All rights reserved: Project syndicate, 2024.
