Keith, Since the mid-twenties Denmark had heavy land-value taxes, so that by the sixties (and after the unpleasantness of the 40's) their economic well-being was high.
Unfortunately, an alliance of conservatives and large landholders changed the country's direction and we now have a country with huge taxation and prices beyond belief. I love visiting Denmark (a most civilized place) but when I am there, I buy as little as possible (with the exception of Tuborg and Carlsberg). As often seems to happen, when conservatives takeover, the development of the welfare state seems to proceed apace. (I except Maggie Thatcher, who did many right things, but eventually failed because her philosophy was flawed and inadequate.) So, Denmark now suffers from the same economic ills that plague the rest of the developed world. John, you may have read "Das Kapital" - or thought you did. For the work comes in three volumes. The first doesn't have much to recommend it. The second is somewhat of a repeat of the first, The third "Capitalist Production as a whole" offers some genuine insights - including putting the kibosh on (retracts) his theory of surplus value - which was the inspiration of the first two volumes. Perhaps, that's why Volume Three is rarely read, and people read Volume One and think they have read Das Kapital. Incidentally, Henry George said of Marx "He's an addlepated sheepshead" and Marx said of George "He's an upstart Yankee trying to prop us the last remnants of the capitalist system." They weren't fond of each other, but at least Marx, in Volume Three, agreed that George was right. Harry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keith wrote: >At 00:26 28/12/01 +0100, you wrote: > >Keith Hudson, > >I`am getting a bit bored by your economistic way of looking at workers >life and work....you don`t seem to remember the stories of child labour, >also mentioned in Marx`Capital. If you want to look at the real quality of >life, you have to see the real difference in time invested in wage-labour >and time free for playing . . . if you are a child. > > > >John Graversgaard > >labour inspector > >Denmark > >Of course I know of these! There were thousands -- tens of thousands -- of >instances at any one time during the Industrial Revolution! > >Recently a BBC Radio investigative team revealed that there were at least >10,000 cases of what is, in effect, child slavery in this country right now! > >Even in this wonderful welfare state with more social workers than ever >before! > >The authorities immediately denied it vociferously, of course. Then the >BBC team replied that there were probably more than 10,000. The authorities >have been quiet ever since. People in this country are buying children of 4 >or 5 years old from former British colonies in West Africa, bringing them >into the country as "relatives", and obtaining £50+ a week in child >benefits for years thereafter. The children, of course, are cowed and >threatened by the "guardians" and never talk at school about conditions at >"home". In fact, many of them think that theirs is a normal childhood in >England even though they are treated in most instances without affection. > >Are you sure that there are no such cases in Denmark? I sincerely hope not. > >But even though I think that the economics of a society is a fundamental >on which everything else depends, it doesn't make me oblivious as to the >human condition. > >Keith Hudson >__________________________________________________________ >“Writers used to write because they had something to say; now they write in >order to discover if they have something to say.” John D. Barrow >_________________________________________________ >Keith Hudson, Bath, England; e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >_________________________________________________ ****************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of LA Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 Tel: (818) 352-4141 Fax: (818) 353-2242 *******************************
