Tag: Politics

Benjamin Fogel – Against “Anti-Corruption”

Link to an article by Benjamin Fogel:

“Against ‘Anti-Corruption'”

 

Curiously, while the author says moralism isn’t an answer, his argument is essentially moral!  He really is saying mere moralistic, individualistic finger-wagging won’t convince political opponents to change their own ways, which is a tactical argument that recognizes that the problem does not lie at an individual level and therefore cannot be solved at the individual level either but glosses over normative/ideological (moral) bases for structural/institutional action.  But isn’t the author simply arguing that instead of criminalizing the political left through “anti-corruption” laws such policies should instead criminalize the political right?  He offers no real explicit argument to this effect, relying instead on implicit ideology and morality/ethics.  This is about a political struggle for hegemony, making certain specific procedural/tactical suggestions along the lines of Rosa Luxembourg’s famous “socialism or barbarism” maxim.

Bonus links: Slavoj Žižek On Political Struggle (technocrats as defenders of hierarchy) and Slavoj Žižek on Populism (populists) and Ibi Rhodus, Ibi Saltus! Quote (ethics/morals are ultimately political)

Jedediah Purdy – The Courts are Political

Link to an interview of Jedediah Purdy conducted by Meagan Day:

“The Courts are Political”

 

Bonus links: Slavoj Žižek On Political Struggle and “Before the Law” and History of the Supreme Court of the United States and “What Is Socialism Nowadays? (Part II)” and “The New Venezuela: An Interview With Supreme Court Justice Fernando Vegas” and “The Kavanaugh Case: Sex, Lies, Privilege (and Plenty of Beer)” and “Ten Items Corroborate Dr. Blasey Ford’s Allegation Kavanaugh Tried to Rape Her” and “Why Conservatives (Still) Like Kavanaugh” and “Kavanaugh Confirmed, Supreme Court Is Instrument of Ruling-class Reaction” and “The Oligarchic Courts”

Matt Taibbi – Ten Years After the Crash, We’ve Learned Nothing

Link to an article by Matt Taibbi:

“Ten Years After the Crash, We’ve Learned Nothing”

 

Bonus links: …And the Poor Get Prison and “Retrospectives of the Financial Crisis Are Leaving Out the Most Important Part—Its Victims” and “The Lehman 10th Anniversary Spin as a Teachable Moment”