Saturday 12 February 2005

Hopping mad

I don't think that I've noticed any British observations on the Hans-Hermann Hoppe affair that is attracting so much attention in the United States:
This brings us to the current situation involving charges against libertarian Hans-Hermann Hoppe, who teaches economics at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. In a lecture on time preference during the fall of 2003, Hoppe said that homosexuals in general would have lower time preferences because some of them engage in very risky sexual practices, and that homosexuals tend not to have children. He also noted that John Maynard Keynes, who put short time preferences into near-holy status, was a homosexual and that certain economists have speculated that Keynes’ sexual proclivities may have influenced his thinking.

It is important to remember that Hoppe’s economic concepts are thoroughly Misesian, in that they are grounded in a priori logic. If the premises are true and the logical mechanisms that use those premises are correctly put into place, then the conclusion a priori is true as well. The reason that this is important is because Hoppe was reaching an academic conclusion, not expressing a statement of belief in opposition to homosexual behavior.

Hoppe’s s remarks did not sit well with one student, who filed a complaint with the university, with the current result being the "punishment" of a letter of reprimand and the docking of pay.

One despairs for the future of the West at times like this. Where are the political voices supporting Professor Hoppe and academic freedom? I hope that any large private financial contributors to UNLV are tearing up their cheques right now, but few businessmen support capitalism and freedom on principle.

I have my own little fantasy about the ideal outcome for this ridiculous situation:

And here is next week’s news:

BEIJING, February 18th.

In a surprise development late last night the Chinese government announced the appointment of Professor Hans-Hermann Hoppe as Chief Economic Advisor.

Professor Hoppe resigned two days ago from his position at UNLV.

In his first public statement Professor Hoppe shocked the world’s financial community by revealing his plan for an immediate decoupling of the Chinese and US currencies. In future, the Renminbi will be 100% backed by gold and in Far East markets overnight the dollar has lost 30% of its value. Reports are coming in of US-bound oil tankers turning back in mid-ocean.

Professor Hoppe told bemused western reporters: “Countries that tie their currencies to gold tend to be more forward looking than those that don’t.”

1 comment:

David Farrer said...

Comments made on previous template:

Neil Craig
"homosexuals in general would have lower time preferences because some of them engage in very risky sexual practices, and that homosexuals tend not to have children" 
 
On the other hand those without children (assuming this applies generally to homosexuals) may be more committed to society as a whole rather than their own brats. 
 
Mark Thatcher?

16 February 2005, 19:01:36 GMT
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Guest
The smart money is leaving China. 
 
Churchill got his position by fraud.

14 February 2005, 05:16:44 GMT
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Geoff Matthews
An interesting juxtaposition to the Ward Churchill affair. A liberal prof calls those working in the WTC "little Eichmans" and people stand up for academic freedom. 
And then this . . .

13 February 2005, 18:20:57 GMT
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Al
I realise that this is peripheral to the point, nevertheless I would like to share with you my site:  
It is www.bbc-bias.blogspot.com 
 
Basically I am against state funded monopolies, and especially ones which are so deceptively impartial.  
 
I hope you find it interesting, 
 
Cheers!

13 February 2005, 15:52:11 GMT
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Neil Craig
The reason the Chinese don't do this is because they are undercutting US industry. They don't need advice from a US professor on when it will be convenient for them to pull out the rug - it will happen in its own time.

12 February 2005, 18:54:18 GMT