At last, a politician stands up for the free market
The altogether splendid, utterly sound and sadly missed José María Aznar López, former PM of Spain has been interviewed by Le Figaro, and here are my favourite bits:
"Doesn't the economic crisis signify the failure of the free market?
It is certainly not a failure of the free market, but a failure of the current mechanism of state regulation and intervention in a sector which is already highly regulated, the banking system. It is the same with politics - democracy is not discredited merely because a bad government has been elected.
What would you do to end the crisis?
We have an obligation to save the banks because without a sound financial system, there can be no stability. But economic reforms should be made. More flexibility and freedom in the economy, less taxation, less expenditure, more budgetary stability and less intervention of the State".
Shame he has retired from active politics, frankly. He would be very welcome in these parts to encourage a bit of sinew-stiffening. Just this once I will forgive him for sporting what appears to be a brigade of guards tie.
Some of the comments suggest that our Gallic chums would like him in their corner too.
"Doesn't the economic crisis signify the failure of the free market?
It is certainly not a failure of the free market, but a failure of the current mechanism of state regulation and intervention in a sector which is already highly regulated, the banking system. It is the same with politics - democracy is not discredited merely because a bad government has been elected.
What would you do to end the crisis?
We have an obligation to save the banks because without a sound financial system, there can be no stability. But economic reforms should be made. More flexibility and freedom in the economy, less taxation, less expenditure, more budgetary stability and less intervention of the State".
Shame he has retired from active politics, frankly. He would be very welcome in these parts to encourage a bit of sinew-stiffening. Just this once I will forgive him for sporting what appears to be a brigade of guards tie.
Some of the comments suggest that our Gallic chums would like him in their corner too.
Labels: Sane economics, Spain
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on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 10:33 am.
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"Shame he has retired from active politics"
Do you really believe that he would have said this had he not been retired from active politics (cf Digby Jones)?
You may have a point there.
As to Diggers, am I alone in my perennial disappointment that he is not an oversized sheepdog?
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