Bruce L:
Brad, -----Original Message----- Not being schooled in "Economics", I have come to see "capitalism" as just one form of human sociability:
That is 1 way to look at it. However, I don't choose to socialize that way and those who do try to destroy those who choose other ways to socialize. That certainly isn't very sociable. All the "capitalists" "socialize" together, and the "medium" of their sociality is running what I consider to be the second, but more real government of the lands they live in. Insightful, but isn't there a need for consent of the governed?
SK:
This is both a values and scale question. What constitutes a need? Needed�by the system? Needed for ethical values? The ought is different from the is. Massive system redesign would be required for the consent of the governed to be effectivly possible. And power doesn't give itself up willingly.
Besides W. Eur & N. Amer, Russia, India, even China, most of Central & S.Am er., Au., NZ... indeed most of humanity is now following a capitalist model. Perhaps the SCALE is different in many areas, where TNCs don't run the show; but�then small scale capitalism (incl farming, artisans, barters/traders,...)is the rule.
Representative democracies are/have been run by $ since govts succumbed to borrowing from the future. They are like drug addicts except it is power and revenue that is the habit. Before this there were monarchies, warlords, dictators/czars...
In representative democracies with fixed #s of reps, population growth has diluted individual voices to a tiny fraction since constitutional formation.�Women and non-white voting rights diluted as well.(NOT JUDGING THESE RIGHTS except as to dilution) Strength in numbers is double edged! Besides voice dilution, oversupply of labor reduces bargaining power re wages and benefits ceteris paribus.
System failure/breakdown yields the greatest & fastest change potential. Each day one's voice is diluted further, internet notwithstanding.
end of cafe time.
Steve
-- http://magma.ca/~gpco/ http://www.scientists4pr.org/ Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist.�Kenneth Boulding
