Is Free Market Ideology Hurting the Economy?

A livestreamed debate between Binyamin Appelbaum and Gene Epstein

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Is Free Market Ideology Hurting the Economy?

"Free market ideology is largely responsible for the dismal performance of the U.S. economy over the past few decades." That was the resolution for a live debate on Monday, October 17, 2022, at the Sheen Center in downtown Manhattan.*

Defending the resolution was Binyamin Appelbaum, the lead writer on business and economics for the New York Times editorial board. He previously worked as a Washington correspondent for the Times. He is the author of The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society (2019).

Arguing for the negative was Gene Epstein, the director of the Soho Forum and former economics and books editor of Barron's. His last published book was Econospinning: How to Read Between the Lines When the Media Manipulate the Numbers. Epstein has taught economics at the City University of New York and St. John's University, and he has worked as a senior economist for the New York Stock Exchange. He has defended the negative at six Soho Forum debates. His November 2019 debate on socialism with University of Massachusetts professor Richard Wolff has gained more than 5 million views on Youtube.

The debate was moderated by Nick Gillespie.

*CORRECTION: This page originally said that the live debate was held on October 15.

Comments

[Brandybuck]

> Free market ideology is largely responsible for the dismal performance of the U.S. economy over the past few decades.

Not free market policies but just the *idea* that people should be free to make their own economic decisions is what’s tanking the economy. What a fucking maroon.

We can choose are gender but we can’t be allowed to choose who to buy stuff from? Fuck off.

[Union of Concerned Socks]

Resolved: we just have to socialism harder.

[liamjonh225]

The U.S. economy has performed poorly over the previous few decades, in large part due to free market philosophy. The belief that people should be free to make their own economic decisions, not free market policies, is what is killing the economy. What an awful maroon. Although we can select our gender, why can’t we choose from whom to purchase goods? Move on.
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[RENATA the rational]

Four days ago Biden blamed oil companies for not drilling enough.
Yesterday he said he would eliminate all drilling.
And you call that a free market????

[Gem Herrera]

The U.S. economy has performed poorly over the previous few decades, in large part due to free market philosophy.
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[salmakhan]

The debate on whether free market ideology is hurting the economy is a complex and controversial one. Proponents of free market argue that it promotes efficiency, innovation and consumer choice, leading to economic growth. On the other hand, opponents argue that it can lead to income inequality, market failure, and environmental degradation. Both sides have valid points, and the impact of free market ideology on the economy is shaped by the specific circumstances and regulations in a particular market.