Murphy, Peter (2013) Why should government get in the way of business? In: Wilson, Tim, Carli, Carlo, and Collits, Paul, (eds.) Turning Left or Right: values in modern politics. Connor Court Publishing, Ballarat, VIC, Australia, pp. 115-119.

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Abstract

[Extract] What is the difference between a conservative economist and a classic-liberal economist? On the surface of things, these days there appears not to be too much difference. The era of "the national conservative" has passed. Few mainstream conservatives today see the virtues of government corporations or a closed commercial state. Such views instead have drifted to the margins of Australian politics and society. Markets that are subject to the rule of law and free from intrusive government regulation optimise economic growth and social prosperity. Conservatives and liberals agree. So where is the divergence? It can be summed up by one word: culture. Conservatives and liberals both work with concepts of capital, labour, trade, and money. But the conservative adds one more idea to the list: that of culture. Culture implies that there are common or collective human motives and not just self-interested ones. At this point, one can hear the classical liberal reaching for a shotgun, protesting, Common? No way. If this then the wolf of socialism in sheep's clothing? No, it is not. It is simply that the collective intangibles of culture matter a lot to human beings and deeply influence economic behaviour.

Item ID:	30133
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-1-922168-77-1
Date Deposited:	14 Nov 2013 00:30
FoR Codes:	16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1606 Political Science > 160601 Australian Government and Politics @ 100%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970116 Expanding Knowledge through Studies of Human Society @ 100%
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