Economics and Human Rights
According to the Dean of the Faculty of Economics of the Moscow State University, Alexander Auzan, in the period of crises, the role and activity of "institutional" economists is increasing. Those. economists who look at the problem widely. Then they are replaced by “mainstream” economists, who are good at looking at and counting narrow, pinpoint problems.
The task of "institutional" economists is to identify general principles, vectors and trends that may lead to economic growth. Find a kind of "point of reference", "point of support", which, according to Archimedes, will allow "to change the world."
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On the one hand, “The Wealth of Nations” according to Adam Smith was taken as a point of reference in the economy for a long time. In modern science, this point was transformed into GDP - Gross Domestic Product.
On the other hand, the reference point in monetarism (Milton Friedman) and the Austrian School of Economics (Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich von Hayek) is freedom. Economic and political freedom.
The third fashionable reference point is currently the concept of the “International Index of Happiness”.
Thus, there is no single point of reference now.
Nevertheless, this point can be found if we analyze the basic principles of building a modern post-industrial democratic society. If you understand what is common in these models. Where is their common starting point.
The modern economic system, like the modern democratic system, was not created for itself. They are made for people. And that means not a person for the state, but a state for a person. Laws are not to limit human freedoms, but to ensure respect for the rights and freedoms of each person, to increase the happiness and wealth of each person. It means that not the GDP is important, but the wealth of each individual person.
States are made up of people. No people - no state. Poor people are a poor state.
Wealth, happiness, human freedom - is the area of ​​respect for his rights.
Thus, a common unifying point in economic and political reasoning and theories is in the field of human rights.
And if human rights are fully respected, then happiness, the “wealth of nations” arises, the country's GDP grows, economic freedoms arise.
What is human rights? There is a “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. It can be taken as a basis, although in my opinion, many of the provisions of this Declaration do not fully ensure human rights and freedoms. But it is still better than nothing.
You can also focus on the words of Thomas Jefferson from the United States Declaration of Independence, that "all people are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
These words are much broader than the provisions of the declaration of human rights and, in my opinion, more precisely.
If we take human rights as a reference point, then the answers to many sensitive questions of the modern economy will become obvious. And it will become clear in which direction to solve them, what should be the vector for solving these issues, in full accordance with concern for GDP, economic freedoms, human happiness and the “wealth of nations”.
For example, the right to life implies the right to protection of life and health, as well as the right to die. This implies the need to legalize the sale of self-defense weapons, legalize euthanasia, simplify and even cancel certification of medicines, medical institutions, prescriptions, etc. (see Milton Friedman's “Freedom to Choose” about the FDA). A person should have the right independently and freely to choose what, how and from whom to be treated. How to protect your life and health. Freely choose a healthy lifestyle or death from legal tobacco, razors, ropes or alcohol, and illegal (in some countries) substances, pistols, euthanasia. *
Another example. The right to work also includes the legalization of prostitution, which will also ensure the people of this profession the right to life and health. * Exactly the same universal right to work, the right to freedom of movement requires the maximum easing of immigration laws. *
Are these rights and freedoms associated with the wealth of nations, GDP growth? Of course. Legalizing weapons of self-defense, prostitution, immigration, the abolition of certification and licensing reduce the cost of the budget for the police and other services, and therefore save taxpayers money. Reducing budget expenditures makes it possible to reduce taxes and thus make every taxpayer richer and happier. *
Legalization makes legal many businesses and revenues, which leads to a decrease in criminal money and undermines the economic basis of crime. This means it reduces budget costs. *
Moreover, legalization makes people law-abiding taxpayers, which increases GDP and budget revenues. *
As a result, people are rich and happy, GDP increases, budget revenues grow, turning into additional benefits for people, for example, in the form of unconditional income.
Thus, the starting point in a modern economy should be the parameter of full respect for human rights. It is the observance of human rights that underlies the growth of GDP and the "wealth of nations."
With full respect for human rights, all economic actors benefit. Therefore, human rights are the main point of reference for the modern economy.
* Detailed argumentation of the stated theses is given in the book “Economy and Human Rights”
The book can be downloaded for free in PDF , in FB2 or in EPUB .
In FB2 and EPUB formats (for tablets, smartphones, e-books), downloads take place in the background, and the PDF opens in the same window (by closing the Habra page, respectively).
The task of "institutional" economists is to identify general principles, vectors and trends that may lead to economic growth. Find a kind of "point of reference", "point of support", which, according to Archimedes, will allow "to change the world."
')
On the one hand, “The Wealth of Nations” according to Adam Smith was taken as a point of reference in the economy for a long time. In modern science, this point was transformed into GDP - Gross Domestic Product.
On the other hand, the reference point in monetarism (Milton Friedman) and the Austrian School of Economics (Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich von Hayek) is freedom. Economic and political freedom.
The third fashionable reference point is currently the concept of the “International Index of Happiness”.
Thus, there is no single point of reference now.
Nevertheless, this point can be found if we analyze the basic principles of building a modern post-industrial democratic society. If you understand what is common in these models. Where is their common starting point.
The modern economic system, like the modern democratic system, was not created for itself. They are made for people. And that means not a person for the state, but a state for a person. Laws are not to limit human freedoms, but to ensure respect for the rights and freedoms of each person, to increase the happiness and wealth of each person. It means that not the GDP is important, but the wealth of each individual person.
States are made up of people. No people - no state. Poor people are a poor state.
Wealth, happiness, human freedom - is the area of ​​respect for his rights.
Thus, a common unifying point in economic and political reasoning and theories is in the field of human rights.
And if human rights are fully respected, then happiness, the “wealth of nations” arises, the country's GDP grows, economic freedoms arise.
What is human rights? There is a “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. It can be taken as a basis, although in my opinion, many of the provisions of this Declaration do not fully ensure human rights and freedoms. But it is still better than nothing.
You can also focus on the words of Thomas Jefferson from the United States Declaration of Independence, that "all people are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
These words are much broader than the provisions of the declaration of human rights and, in my opinion, more precisely.
If we take human rights as a reference point, then the answers to many sensitive questions of the modern economy will become obvious. And it will become clear in which direction to solve them, what should be the vector for solving these issues, in full accordance with concern for GDP, economic freedoms, human happiness and the “wealth of nations”.
For example, the right to life implies the right to protection of life and health, as well as the right to die. This implies the need to legalize the sale of self-defense weapons, legalize euthanasia, simplify and even cancel certification of medicines, medical institutions, prescriptions, etc. (see Milton Friedman's “Freedom to Choose” about the FDA). A person should have the right independently and freely to choose what, how and from whom to be treated. How to protect your life and health. Freely choose a healthy lifestyle or death from legal tobacco, razors, ropes or alcohol, and illegal (in some countries) substances, pistols, euthanasia. *
Another example. The right to work also includes the legalization of prostitution, which will also ensure the people of this profession the right to life and health. * Exactly the same universal right to work, the right to freedom of movement requires the maximum easing of immigration laws. *
Are these rights and freedoms associated with the wealth of nations, GDP growth? Of course. Legalizing weapons of self-defense, prostitution, immigration, the abolition of certification and licensing reduce the cost of the budget for the police and other services, and therefore save taxpayers money. Reducing budget expenditures makes it possible to reduce taxes and thus make every taxpayer richer and happier. *
Legalization makes legal many businesses and revenues, which leads to a decrease in criminal money and undermines the economic basis of crime. This means it reduces budget costs. *
Moreover, legalization makes people law-abiding taxpayers, which increases GDP and budget revenues. *
As a result, people are rich and happy, GDP increases, budget revenues grow, turning into additional benefits for people, for example, in the form of unconditional income.
Thus, the starting point in a modern economy should be the parameter of full respect for human rights. It is the observance of human rights that underlies the growth of GDP and the "wealth of nations."
With full respect for human rights, all economic actors benefit. Therefore, human rights are the main point of reference for the modern economy.
* Detailed argumentation of the stated theses is given in the book “Economy and Human Rights”
The book can be downloaded for free in PDF , in FB2 or in EPUB .
In FB2 and EPUB formats (for tablets, smartphones, e-books), downloads take place in the background, and the PDF opens in the same window (by closing the Habra page, respectively).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/443344/
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