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Spring 2001

ISSN 0890-913X

Volume 16, Number 2

Categories: Spring 2001

Protests, Progress, and Democracy : Some Economics of Expressed Discontent

James Rolph Edwards, Montana State University-Northern

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JournalofPrivateEnterpriseProtests,Progress,andDemocracy:SomeEconomicsofExpressedDiscontentJamesRolphEdwardsMontanaStateUniversity-NorthernOneoftheseeminglyincongruousfactsofhumanexistenceisthatrelativelyfreenationswithmarketorientedeconomiesaresometimeswrackedbywidespreadexpressionsofdiscontent,includingheateddebate,massdemonstrations,politicalagitation,andsoon.Indeed,thisoftenhappensduringperiodswhen,byobjectivemeasurements,bothgrossandper-capitarealoutputandincomesarerising.Suchvisibleandaudibleturmoilandfrictionisalwayscitedbytheintellectualandpoliticalenemiesoffreedomasindicationofdistributiveinjustice,monopolypower,racism,oppressionandmiseryincapitalistsociety.Theirproposedsolutionsalwaysinvolveincreasingregulatorycommandandcontrol,socialistnationalizations,coerciveincomeredistributions,andthelike.Defendersoffreedomandlimitedgovernmentresistsuchmeasures,believingthattheywillreducehumanhappiness,prosperityandwellbeing.Butwemustanswerthequestion:whencetheturmoilintimesofapparentincreasingprosperity?Theincongruitystems,ofcourse,fromoursuspicionthatrisingincomesshouldmakepeoplehappier.Itiscertainlytruethatmonetarymeasuresofgrossandper-capitaincomemissmanyfactorsoflifethatareimportanttopeople=sfeelingsofwellbeing,andthatfactmaybepartoftheexplanation.Consider,however,thatin1976,theGalluporganizationbeganconductinginternationalpollsaskingpeopleinnearlyeverynationtoratetheirownsatisfactionwithvariousaspectsoftheirlives.Thestrikingresultthatemergedfromtheveryfirstsuchpollwasthat,bothwithinandacrossnationsatall1

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Metadata [hide]

Title	Protests, Progress, and Democracy : Some Economics of Expressed Discontent
Authors/Creators:	James Rolph Edwards, Montana State University-Northern
Year:	2001
Volume:	16
Number:	2
Pages:	103 - 116
Publisher:	The Association of Private Enterprise Education
ISSN:	0890-913X
Document Type:	Articles

Citation:
Rolph Edwards, James / 2001. "Protests, Progress, and Democracy : Some Economics of Expressed Discontent." The Journal of Private Enterprise, 16(2): 103-116.