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Perhaps more that times have changed. We used to have a strong commitment to the neoliberal ideal of a separation between state and business. The experience of
by dash2 6y ago
Perhaps more that times have changed. We used to have a strong commitment to the neoliberal ideal of a separation between state and business. The experience of nationalisation had also not been good (think Austen and BT). That’s changed and we are now in the world of “entrepreneurial states” for better or worse.
- ericmay 6y agoYea it's a fascinating topic. I think as countries become weary of each other (E.U. <-> U.K., China <-> U.S., others...) they start to protect industries and such even if it goes in the face of stated ideals. I think we're seeing governments act on a more nation-state basis than in the recent past. Much more scrutiny and distrust. Would love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
- yodelshady 6y agoComing from a 5G thread, this sounds sensible to me. We've seen an enormous hollowing out of institutional competence since the rise of Free Trade At All Costs.
- dash2 6y agoHmm. Thinking of the UK in the 1970s, "institutional competence" is not the word that springs to mind. But, yeah, there are definitely reasons why the world has got more nationalist, and if everyone else is doing it, to some extent we have to follow suit. Of course, the UK is not a continent-sized economy like the US or China, and has to be a bit more free-trade-oriented than they are.