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Wanjiku Kimani's avatar

That title is just πŸ‘ŒπŸΎπŸ‘ŒπŸΎ.. I remember someone telling me- you economics people are so obsessed with numbers!

And I was like, of course we are… if you are going to make decisions that affect lots of people you better have data and deep analysis that backs the decision-making.. Lived experience is too narrow and also biased to be a guiding post for decisions that affect millions

Beyond the ideological tagging, i think people think that when we analyze these numbers, it’s all made up and they don’t mean much…there is idea that when we talk people it has to be story driven only and not numbers driven… av heard people talk about β€œGDP are just made up numbers that don’t really reflect living conditions”…

So I think the tying the stories to the numbers is super important..which is what you are doing..

Loved the post! 😊

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PIET DU PLESSIS's avatar

Well written, reseached and argued, Johan.

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Ora Sehole's avatar

How can you omit the 2008 financial crises?? How can you omit the reason for the increased demand of expenditure?? There has never been genuine state led development in this country since the dawn of democracy! The RET was just pure rhetoric, to keep the alliance in check. Neoliberalism thrived under JZ.

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Erika [eddie-kah]'s avatar

Why are you even in Occupied Azania? You are the descendant of rapist murdering thieves. Your analysis is unwanted and unneeded. You people are deranged lunatics to even think we need your opinion on anything other than how quickly you can leave. Get the fuck out! You are an invading parasite.

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ArnaudTramp's avatar

We have the empirical proof : the West. Property rights, low taxes and regulations and fonctionning courts. It’s not rocket science.

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Jeff Cope's avatar

Talking about β€œeconomic growth” leaves many questions unanswered. Growth for whom? For what? It’s clear in the US that climate catastrophe will not be solvable* without radical economic and therefore political equality; the same is true for the Constitutional crisis and fascism. While South Africa shares the climate and larger ecological crisis and the reasons behind its political-economic problems with US, and the broad solutions are probably the same, details and political actions have to meet local needs.

* Note that β€œsolvable” does not mean solved; just that solving the interlinked crises is impossible without addressing inequality, possible if it’s wisely and strategically addressed. Whatever is done about inequality, fascism, institutional racism, misogyny… will take time we can ill afford, and the climate and larger ecological crisis will deepen. The turn to the right we’ve been suffering in through since the late 1970s is slowing every solution and may be enough to end civilization in chaos, violence, suffering, and destruction. To prevent as much of this as we still can, we have to act radically, globally, comprehensively, and immediately, implementing progressive policies and ecological solutions while working long term to heal the complex psychological condition that is causing that turn, and all our problems.

"Seeing Wetiko: on Capitalism, Mind Viruses, and Antidotes for a World inΒ Transition”

Alnoor Ladha, Martin Kirk.

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