After years of blogging I have changed my position statement from “Beyond Left and Right” to “A Competition of Ideas.” (on 2/10/14)

When I started my objective was that ideas would be considered on their own merit and not based on the political labels of those who posed them.  While I admitted that it may have been audacious, to many people it was also misleading.  No matter how much I may have detached labels from ideas, many readers did not.  While most may have considered my thinking and interest to have been right of center, there were some from the right who accused me of being too far left.

Capitalism has often been seen by its supporters as a system to channel individual human self-interest into a positive social force.  To its detractors it is a mere rationalization for greed.    Economics is a new discipline as are most social sciences, and it has developed thinking beyond the invisible hand of Adam Smith (and new writers are still developing it).  My favorite definition of capitalism is “The Competition of Ideas” and that is the source of the new positioning statement.

The competition of ideas is the oxygen on a continuum from free markets to government control.  While the debate often appears far apart I think the harshest combat is within a narrow spectrum.  One may call it the narcissism of minor differences.

The content will be little changed.  I post ideas and perspectives I find worthy and often comment and occasionally produce posts that are original- to the extent that any idea can be.  I welcome comments, criticisms and clarifications, but demand civility.

The notion of a competition of ideas struck me in an article in the Wall Street Journal years ago, and it was further developed by George Gilder, but I do not know where it originated.

All of the competition among products and services start as competing ideas.  But the competition of ideas does not have to be limited to matters of commerce.  Our federal system was promoted to allow states to compete as well and the Federal Government role was uniquely prescribed and restricted.  While our history has seen a decided shift to a stronger central government, there is still competition among the states in economic policy and political action.

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