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> Outcomes I Like = Result of a Free Market > Outcomes I Don’t Like = Result of a Distorting Government Intervention A modified version of this can frequently

> Outcomes I Like = Result of a Free Market > Outcomes I Don’t Like = Result of a Distorting Government Intervention A modified version of this can frequently be observed in right-wing media, where the generally accepted term is "crony capitalism." When capitalism produces outcomes they approve of, it's because capitalism is good. When capitalism produces outcomes they don't approve of, it's because what was going on wasn't really capitalism, it was its debased, photo-negative, bearded-Spock version, "crony capitalism." In other words, it's a form of the "No true Scotsman" fallacy: true capitalism wouldn't have done those bad things. Which is frustrating, because "crony capitalism" is a real thing that actually means something specific: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crony_capitalism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crony_capitalism. But in this usage it's just a convenient way to handwave away market failures by dumping them at the feet of a straw man.

bkohlmann 7y ago
Its not just right wing media - this is the very definition of confirmation bias. Socialists do the same thing. Outcomes they like can be attributed to collectivism and those they don’t like they attribute to capitalism / free markets. All ideologies have costs, benefits, and results that deviate from the ideal. Doesn’t mean they are “wrong.”
- g_langenderfer 7y ago
  Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a true A/B test? Peter thiel starts his Sea steading libertarian paradise and Bernie gets his very own socialist heaven. We use US as the control.
opo 7y ago
Cronyism is found in all political systems and in some systems like fascism might even be considered a defining characteristic. People trying to manipulate the political system for economic gain is unfortunately always going to happen whether there is little or a lot of economic freedom in the system. >...When capitalism produces outcomes they approve of, it's because capitalism is good. When capitalism produces outcomes they don't approve of, it's because what was going on wasn't really capitalism, it was its debased, photo-negative, bearded-Spock version, "crony capitalism." Can you give an example?
- smacktoward 7y ago
  Watch Fox News or listen to conservative talk radio for a couple of days, you'll have more examples than you know what to do with.
  - opo 7y ago
    You said that "frequently" right wing media would mistakingly claim that any result they didn't like was "crony capitalism" when the issue in question would not fit the definition of crony capitalism. It is unfortunate that you don't have some links to examples if it does happen frequently.
    - SantalBlush 7y ago
      I've heard Peter Schiff blame "crony communism" on a radio show. I'll see if I can find a link after work. But it is true that the term is used as a scapegoat. It's not like you haven't heard the term before, so I'm not sure why you're asking for links.
      - opo 7y ago
        >...I've heard Peter Schiff blame "crony communism" on a radio show. That sounds like something different than the OP said. >...It's not like you haven't heard the term before, so I'm not sure why you're asking for links. It's like I said, cronyism will be found in any political system. What was odd, was the original poster was saying that frequently when people didn't like some result, it was blamed on "crony capitalism" and as the OP pointed out: >"Which is frustrating, because "crony capitalism" is a real thing that actually means something specific" I don't think I've seen examples of people in the media using the term "crony capitalism" wrong, but then again I don't watch Fox News, so I asked for an example. Does that make sense?
        SantalBlush 7y ago
        Yes, that makes sense. But it also suggests to me that any example someone provides will be handwaved, so I'm not going to bother. At any rate, I agree with OP that it's used as a scapegoat.
SantalBlush 7y ago
Absolutely right. It is as disengenuous as someone who would call Stalinist Russia "crony communism". People who are not willing to refine their models in the face of new evidence are more idealogues than thinkers.

bkohlmann 7y ago

Its not just right wing media - this is the very definition of confirmation bias. Socialists do the same thing. Outcomes they like can be attributed to collectivism and those they don’t like they attribute to capitalism / free markets. All ideologies have costs, benefits, and results that deviate from the ideal. Doesn’t mean they are “wrong.”

g_langenderfer 7y ago
Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a true A/B test? Peter thiel starts his Sea steading libertarian paradise and Bernie gets his very own socialist heaven. We use US as the control.

opo 7y ago

Cronyism is found in all political systems and in some systems like fascism might even be considered a defining characteristic. People trying to manipulate the political system for economic gain is unfortunately always going to happen whether there is little or a lot of economic freedom in the system. >...When capitalism produces outcomes they approve of, it's because capitalism is good. When capitalism produces outcomes they don't approve of, it's because what was going on wasn't really capitalism, it was its debased, photo-negative, bearded-Spock version, "crony capitalism." Can you give an example?

smacktoward 7y ago
Watch Fox News or listen to conservative talk radio for a couple of days, you'll have more examples than you know what to do with.
- opo 7y ago
  You said that "frequently" right wing media would mistakingly claim that any result they didn't like was "crony capitalism" when the issue in question would not fit the definition of crony capitalism. It is unfortunate that you don't have some links to examples if it does happen frequently.
  - SantalBlush 7y ago
    I've heard Peter Schiff blame "crony communism" on a radio show. I'll see if I can find a link after work. But it is true that the term is used as a scapegoat. It's not like you haven't heard the term before, so I'm not sure why you're asking for links.
    - opo 7y ago
      >...I've heard Peter Schiff blame "crony communism" on a radio show. That sounds like something different than the OP said. >...It's not like you haven't heard the term before, so I'm not sure why you're asking for links. It's like I said, cronyism will be found in any political system. What was odd, was the original poster was saying that frequently when people didn't like some result, it was blamed on "crony capitalism" and as the OP pointed out: >"Which is frustrating, because "crony capitalism" is a real thing that actually means something specific" I don't think I've seen examples of people in the media using the term "crony capitalism" wrong, but then again I don't watch Fox News, so I asked for an example. Does that make sense?
      - SantalBlush 7y ago
        Yes, that makes sense. But it also suggests to me that any example someone provides will be handwaved, so I'm not going to bother. At any rate, I agree with OP that it's used as a scapegoat.

SantalBlush 7y ago

Absolutely right. It is as disengenuous as someone who would call Stalinist Russia "crony communism". People who are not willing to refine their models in the face of new evidence are more idealogues than thinkers.