Juho Laatu wrote: > I'm not sure that inequality would be a > requirement. Full equality in terms of > wealth and power is impossible to achieve, > but we can approximate that at some > agreed/suitable level (e.g. by balancing > the differences a bit where needed) - and > still keep the natural competitive forces > alive as the forward driving force in the > society (and its economy).
So the realm of possiblity may contain mechanisms to correct the gross inequalities of opportunity etc. that divide class from class, and nation from nation. You and I can discuss this possiblity in abstract terms, like "cultured gentleman".^[1] But what is the path from possiblity to actuality? And what are the danger points along the way? 1. A voting system is instituted in the public sphere, thus lifting the lid of the pot. People are free to express themselves on issues of gross disparity, to be heard, and to build consensus. The inter-class and inter-national tensions that were formerly suppressed and suspended are thus thematized in discussion and floated for political action. What shall the action be? Everyone is talking, voting... 2. Stuff happens. 3. Eventually reason prevails. The dwellers in the favelas and the peasents in the villages (despite long suppressed bitterness and anger) enter into a more-or-less rational discussion with the weathly entrepreneurs and landowners. 4. A promising "disparity correction" mechanism is discovered, and talked about. 5. A rough consensus emerges that, yes, this is the very mechanism we want. 6. Political action follows. The mechanism is emplaced. 7. It fails. 8. Stuff happens. Steps 2 and 8 are problematic. What kind of stuff can happen? [1] In Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy, in the chapter on Aristotle's Politics, the last few paragraphs frame a broad context for discussing the extremes of democracy, reaction and counter-reaction. http://books.google.ca/books?id=Ey94E3sOMA0C&pg=PA187#PPA187,M1 That's p. 187, which contains the text "Aristotle's fundamental assumptions... the rise of industrialism... Both for good and evil, therefore, the day of the cultured gentleman is past." -- Michael Allan Toronto, 647-436-4521 http://zelea.com/ ---- Election-Methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info