RTFL Mission

Some 18 years after Latvia regained its independence almost all social pathologies (suicide, early death for men, etc.) are worse than in the Soviet era. This is not a defense of the Soviet period, but rather an indictment of just how bad the independence era policies have been. Like Milton Friedman (the great neoliberal economist) we believe Latvians are, in his words, “free to choose,” and unlike Thatcher, we believe “there are alternatives” (she said there were none in response to neoliberalism). Unlike Thatcher who said there is “no society, only individuals,” we believe “society is possible and desirable,” and we hope to correct its erosion under neoliberalism.

We are exploring social democratic and post-Keynesian alternatives to the present order. We are looking primarily at Scandinavia, West Europe, and parts of the East Asian models for inspiration. We will not be distracted by foolish charges of a return to the USSR, which are, ironically, more reminiscent of 1930’s era Soviet “debating” tactics than anything else.

We are in discussion with economists and economic planners from the US, Germany, and several other countries, and we hope to seek out cooperation with other nations in similar states of debt peonage, such as Iceland and Hungary. We wish a new order. One that resembles the deal West Europe got after World War II on debt reduction, etc., and not return to the perpetual debt that is more a marker of what existed under Latvia’s long centuries of foreign rule and serfdom.

22 September, 2009