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To: Zionist Conspirator; ProgressingAmerica; Liz
A lot of people assume that because the American conservative movement is associated with laissez-faire capitalism that any political ideology that deviates from libertarian economics is "left wing" - which is why some people here are accusing Vance of "leftist" beliefs for not marching to Milton Friedman's drums.

However, this simply isn't true in other societies and cultures, particularly in Europe where the Right is often opposed to laissez-faire economics, either out of ideological nostalgia for feudal or mercantilist institutions or the perception that libertarian economics leads to an extreme competitive individualism that undermines traditional communities and culture, whereas their primary goal is upholding a communitarian sense of national identity and unity.

We see the latter view in contemporary rightwing nationalist movements throughout Europe (e.g. AfD in Germany, National Rally in France, Fidesz in Hungary) - not to mention many Asian countries - adopt this position, and as you note that there's a smaller tradition of American conservatives who are skeptical of libertarian economics as well - JD Vance being one of them.

33 posted on 07/22/2026 12:02:12 PM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: ek_hornbeck
However, this simply isn't true in other societies and cultures, particularly in Europe where the Right is often opposed to laissez-faire economics, either out of ideological nostalgia for feudal or mercantilist institutions or the perception that libertarian economics leads to an extreme competitive individualism that undermines traditional communities and culture, whereas their primary goal is upholding a communitarian sense of national identity and unity.

There is certainly an element of social Darwinism on the American Right. As one of life's "losers," I am certainly open to right wing alternatives to laissez-faire.

What is your opinion of Social Credit? How does it differ from distributism (the answer is probably obvious to most FReepers but I've never been a maven of economics)?

However, there are dangers on that Right as well as on the Left. The first government in history that called itself totalitarian was Fascist Italy (though it never really was, and Mussolini defined "totalitarianism" very differently from how we do today). My motto in life is "be open to everything, but always exercise the most extreme caution." I hope that's not like a "square circle."

61 posted on 07/23/2026 9:15:34 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (בראשית ברא אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ)
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