The Metaphysics of Utopia and Ideology

In one of my previous posts Towards an Understanding of CBDC in the Financial System  I discussed the distinction between wholesale and retail Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)s. I took a look at the dialogue being conducted within the European context to clarify certain misconceptions as to the nature of wholesale CBDCs; how the infrastructure that supports wholesale CDBC can be adapted to take advantage of the innovations that are happening in the digital technology. I concluded that post, with the observation that the trend around the world and in the online media is to investigate how a CBDC can be designed to benefit market economies. It appears that investigations in such economies revolve around the role of a central bank in participation with the private sector in leveraging the potential benefits of CBDC for the financial system. In this post I will review the general argument posed by those who see CBDCs as a threat to individual freedom, privacy and a form of financ...

On August 1, 2023, the government funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) posted a commentary entitled: Russia has launched a new offensive in Luhansk — here's what it tells us about Putin's strategy in Ukraine  by Major General Mick Ryan (retired); hereafter referred to as Mr. Ryan. In this sober and somewhat gloomy assessment of the fighting Mr. Ryan lays out the recent history of the Russia-Ukraine war highlighting the “costly” but “stunning” performance of the Ukrainian army in the Kharkov and Kherson offensives of late last year. He also discusses the choices facing Ukraine in how to handle the challenges in the southern front and northern fronts of the war.   Mr. Ryan also explains key “takeaways” about what he perceives to be President Vladimir Putin’s strategy. In my post I will point out that some of the assumptions made by Mr. Ryan concerning these perceptions of President Putin’s thinking, and the disposition of Russian Society and European public do ...