AEL
THE ANTI ECONOMIST LEAGUE
Date: 29 February 2004.
SUMMARY Economists practice a religion, one
devoid of spiritual or human concerns. They
pretend to be a science, but their gospel is
anti-scientific. They have no insights into human
reality and should not have any say in the
administration in human affairs. We have found
that far from being a scientific discipline, or a
political philosophy, economics is a dangerous
fundamentalist religion.
To learn about us. Click here:
The main points of dispute over
economic theology are:
- Economists falsely take the view that people have an insatiable desire for more wealth. This false
view dominates government and results in policies benefiting those few who have this perversion.
- Economists make false assumptions that the use to "prove" that a "free" market system gives the
best economic results. In spite of "market failures", they persist in proposing competitive market
theology regardless of wether it is appropriate or not.
- In presenting the theory of the "free" market system, economists mention externalities and then
proceed to ignore the reality of the economic damage done by externalities.
- Economists make false presumptions about supply and demand relations that are not justified by
any testing or data analysis. They presume that movements along the demand curve is reversible
without offering any evidence. In particular, the case can be made that the supply curve they
theorise about (a rising price being associated with a rising quantity of production) is incorrect and
the opposite prevails (lower prices can be obtained with increasing supply).
- The concept of an equilibrium between supply and demand leading to an economic balance is false
because with changing technology and conditions, economic driving forces are always in a state of
flux.
- The concept of equilibrium is insufficient, because the rate of movement towards an equilibrium is
more significant than the equilibrium position. If the rate of movement towards an equilibrium is
very slow, the exact equilibrium point is not important.
- The emphasis on money values denies economist's own theories about the declining marginal utility
of money with increasing income and wealth. That means that the value placed on money is
variable according to whose money you are talking about.
- Economists mean to refer to GNP (or GDP) when they refer to the "economy" and that is a
monetary calculation that not only uses an invalid monetary measure (see 7), but the summation
includes "bads" as well as "goods".
- When economists promote the idea of GNP as the measure of the economic objective, they
completely discount the needs of future generations and presume that continual growth in GNP is a
valid goal.
- Economists have no moral compunction about applying their market theories to people. They
cannot see that the commodification of labour and planning for a number of unemployed is
anti-social and immoral.
- Economists with their inflated ideas about their understanding of the economy, presume that they
are able to make forecasts. They ignore their complete lack of success in forecasting and the
impossibility of making useful forecasts.
- Economists completely ignore the hidden part of the economy; goods and services produced in the
home etc. and not formally traded.
- Economists do not take into account limits to growth, thermodynamic constraints, and the
environmental resources depleted.
If you agree with us, you might like to have a supply of quips or "one-liners" to throw into the
conversation. Click here for some:
You can click here for some more:
Alternatively, you might like a few short jokes. Click here for some:
You can click here for some longer ones.
There are matters in economics that economist do not want to talk about.
You know that Goebbels was as a propagandist in WWII dont you.
Email: ael@tasman.net Nelson, New Zealand.