----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 4:09
AM
Subject: RE: Slightly extended (was Re:
[Futurework] David Ricardo, Caveman Trade vs. Modern Trade
Ed,
Not only to liberty and justice not taste too well,
when they aren't there to taste, you will be sure that ends will not
meet.
Two hundred years ago, Ricardo postulated the "Iron
Law of Wages" and about 125 years ago George picked it up and ran with it.
Of course that's all Classical stuff - out-of-date for these complex
modern economies.
So, we have welfare for people with full-time jobs
who can't survive on what they get. We even have a name for them - the
working poor. We have a law to force employers to pay a minimum wage, when
in the England of half a millennium or so ago - there was a law to
keep wages down (the Statute of Laborers).
Why don't we laugh? Even though it might sound a
trifle hollow.
So, in ten years, or twenty, or a hundred, will we
still be trying but failing to provide something for an ever increasing
number of the poor?
On second thoughts, don't
laugh.
Harry
******************************************** 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] On Behalf Of Ed
Weick
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 6:08 AM
To:
Thomas Lunde; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Slightly
extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ricardo, Caveman Trade vs. Modern
Trade
Thomas, very good posting. Ontario has just
raised the minimum wage from peanuts to peanuts. Many of the poor are
working full time and even double time, but are still unable to meet the
rent or buy enough food, let alone get their kids the kinds of in toys
("status goods") that are going around. They can try eating freedom
and justice, but they don't taste very good when you can't make ends
meet.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003
3:36 AM
Subject: Re: Slightly extended (was
Re: [Futurework] David Ricardo, Caveman Trade vs. Modern Trade
They don't need money, Thomas. They need
justice and the freedom to enjoy it.
Harry
Thomas:
In a way,
you are right. Being poor and working with the poor as customers
and neighbours let's me see the many ways the poor are lacking justice.
A recent article in the paper made the outstanding statement that
37% of workers in Canada are not covered by the Labour Code and laws.
When wages for the poor are kept artificially low, then the only
way to compensate to maintain a survival standard is to work more.
Of course, there are about 4 to 5% who are mentally incapable, or
physically disabled or in the case of single mothers, family challenged.
However, the work more solution has only produced the working
poor, who still have to use food banks and subsidized housing, if thet
can get it. Not only that, as you suggest, they do not even have
the freedom to enjoy what little they have. I would agree, that
justice and freedom would go a long way to compensating for money - or
as you might suggest, make the earning and spending of money a by
product of an effective system of justice and the freedom and thereby
create a surplus to enjoy.
Respectfully,
Thomas Lunde
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