Arthur,
I'm falling behind in replying to you, but I'll catch
up.
So many remarks about a simple and sensible
statement.
If each member of a community is better off, is it
difficult to concede that the community (of people) is better
off?
Ray didn't like "better off" (def: In a more fortunate
or prosperous condition). I have no idea why.
But, my humility is exceeded only by my infinite
patience. For the umpteenth time, free trade and the free market do
not establish justice. Free trade enables us to make a bigger pie with the
same exertion. Protective tariffs reduce the size of the pie and force
us into using more exertion for less return.
This is why goods are so expensive in socialist systems
- or modern capitalistic systems which in many ways are similar. The US has
somewhere near 9,000 tariffs, a slew of import quotas and vicious
anti-dumping legislation.
(Chris thinks the US is a free trading country with an
internal free market, but then he thinks some very peculiar
things.)
So, the free market will produce the biggest pie, but
that doesn't mean the pie will be distributed fairly. The "unfairness" comes
from somewhere else. The left has its attention firmly fixed on the big
corporations. This prevents them from looking anywhere else, so they haven't a
clue as to the reason for the unfairness.
Corporate monopoly is not an effect of the free market.
It's an effect of government irresponsibility in providing privileges in return
for bribes (sorry, contributions).
Although governments have a poor record, there is a
naive belief among the left that though present government is inadequate, once a
socialist government is in power, they will be wonderful.
Hah!
Once the honeymoon is over, they get down to the real
issues - what pay and perks will they get. Because (with reason) I am critical
of modern governments, you seem to think I am anti-government. That is
nonsense. Government is part of community life, in the first place to deal
with things the market cannot efficiently handle - then some other things that
we might prefer the community to do rather than individuals.
But, that's the rub. Those few other things burgeon,
then erupt. So, we get the horrid situation (with which you apparently agree)
where the record of all these regulations is compressed into the 75,000 page
Federal register.
With all due respect to you well-meaning left-wingers
(I bet that term arouses argument)or for that matter you equally well-meaning
right wingers, I want neither private injustice, nor public
penury.
George analyzed the rising inequality that accompanied
the amazing increases in the power to produce back in 1878.
You must have missed it - but then you were
young.
To summarize, free trade will produce a big pie, but
that leaves justice to be attained.
So, what is justice and how do we get it? Certainly not
by making the pie smaller,
Harry
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Henry George School of Social Science of Los Angeles Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 Tel: 818 352-4141 -- Fax: 818 353-2242 http://haledward.home.comcast.net ******************************************** From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 7:10 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ricardo, Cavema n Trade vs. Modern Trade Let's
say better off equals more money, more income. If income is rising but at
the same time inequalities are rising even faster.....
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- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ri... Cordell . Arthur
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Ray Evans Harrell
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Harry Pollard
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Harry Pollard
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Harry Pollard
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Cordell . Arthur
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Harry Pollard
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Cordell . Arthur
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Ray Evans Harrell
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Harry Pollard
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Ray Evans Harrell
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Harry Pollard
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurew... Ray Evans Harrell
- RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] Dav... Cordell . Arthur
- Re: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework]... Brad McCormick, Ed.D.