Monday, January 23, 2006

Arnold Kling - Folk Beliefs Have Consequences

Folk Locke-ism and Folk Marxism.

The rationale for tax cuts -- "It's your money" -- makes sense to folk-Locke-ism. It drives folk Marxists crazy. Folk Marxists ask What's the Matter with Kansas?. They cannot understand why the oppressed do not see the advantages of higher taxes on their "rich" oppressors.

Folk Marxism can explain why some environmentalists do not like using taxes to control pollution. If you think of polluters as the oppressors and everyone else as the oppressed, then merely taxing pollution is not morally satisfying.

Interesing essay. I like the idea of driving folk Marxists batty.

Update: Now with correctly formatted block quotes and a link.
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