In "The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible shift of Global Power to the East" Kishore Mahbubani extols the great advantages of free-market capitalism.
While "marijuana libertarians" pout like spoiled brats because mothers of 5 children, like Sarah Palin, are not too keen on freedom of marijuana, an influential diplomat from Singapore, now a dean and professor in the National University of Singapore, sees a much broader picture and shows what it takes to institute a giant leap forward in economic well-being for the entire world's population by unleashing free market capitalism.
Can you imagine Bill Clinton saying, "It's the marijuana, stupid?" As dumb as Bill Clinton is, he knew that his policies required his political success, and his political success required his focus solely on economics (along with pretending he never inhaled).
Success in politics requires selling one's economic program.
So now libertarians have yet another chance to prove to the world that the free market produces every one's highest good (whisper: in a totally free market marijuana would happen to be free). To politically active libertarians the message is obvious: sell the forest, not the trees (or the marijuana plants). Point to the hard-to-believe growth of Asian economies and the thought-to-be-impossible rise in the Asian standard of living as proof of the value of the free market.
In Mahbubani's book, libertarians have been given a marvelous sales tool, which incidentally shoots down the typical protectionist responses of many Republicans and especially Democrats like Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
"The Western, particularly the American, response to the rise of Asia has been petulant, degenerating into protectionism and panic. Japan-bashing of the 1980s was succeeded by India-bashing over outsourcing in the 1990s and now we have China-bashing in the 2000s. Mahbubani, one of the most perceptive and influential Asian intellectuals today, shows the folly of these reactions and the wisdom of applauding and working with the reality of Asia's remarkable success. His splendid book must be read by every Western policymaker; it is a tour de force." Jagdish Bhagwati, Economics and Law Professor, Columbia University.
Mahbubani is not ideological. He's simply practical ... practical and simple. Although he recognizes and doesn't hesitate to mention the genius of Adam Smith, he didn't start with Adam Smith. He started with his family getting their first indoor toilet. Then we watched as the free market brought indoor toilets to everyone in his previously poverty-stricken neighborhood. And then he saw how the principle applies everywhere, in every realm of activity.
And in his vision he saw how the West could easily make terribly wrong decisions by retreating into economic protectionism ... leaving Europe and America in economic dark ages while China, India, Malaysia, Japan and Korea become an economic paradise dreamed of only by science fiction authors.
Libertarians need to read this visionary man's book ... and see that it is read far and wide.
Speaking of "lifting higher", for the last election year studied (1998) some of the highest percentage of votes for Libertarian Party candidates were for candidates who had been studying free of charge the lessons of: Course in Political Miracles
For a great discussion on Christianity vs. State Socialism see: Christianity vs. State Socialism
“I did not understand what made me free, nor what my freedom is, nor where to look to find it. Father, I have searched in vain until I heard Your Voice directing me. Now I would guide myself no more. For I have neither made nor understood the way to find my freedom. But I trust in You. You Who endowed me with my freedom as Your holy Son will not be lost to me. Your Voice directs me." (Prayer from A Course in Miracles)
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