Keith, Point well made.
You'll note in my post I said: "So, when the General Level rises, so do all wages (some exceptions we won't bother with.) The "exceptions" you've made me bother with! At the top of the heap are people who can pretty much decide their compensation. They range from the brain surgeon to Madonna (though I fear there are more people trying to be a Madonna than a brain surgeon). Also among them are the thousands and tens of thousands of that maligned group, the CEO's - those who can run companies. These are so important that it is obvious they are going to be well paid. However, in the cases we have been watching with disbelief, not only have their compensations soared beyond belief, but they forgot their jobs - to run their companies properly. I would suspect that these overlarge companies would not exist without government privilege of some kind such as patent and copyright protection (Microsoft and the Pharmaceutical Industry), or natural monopoly of some kind (water and electricity distribution). The first can be ended by removing patent and copyright protection. Henry George thought that the second could be handled by regulation. I don't. I think the rolling stock should be owned by the community it serves, but the operation should be handled by performance bonded management companies chosen by lowest bid. This I have suggested previously on FW. Without privilege and monopoly advantages, I would think that corporations wouldn't become massive, unwieldy, and awash with money that is bestowed on the lucky insiders. Harry -------------------------------------------------------------- Keith wrote: >Hi Harry, > >Just one brief comment on your latest. > >Where you wrote: ><<<< >Above General Level, flexibility seems to lessen the higher you go. People >are tied into jobs - even the very best jobs - to the point of sacrifice. > >>>> > >No, I think that flexibility operates at both ends of the talent curve. >Yes, the bulk of people seem to be tied to their jobs but also at the >right-tail of the curve, the very best intellects are able to see >commonalities between different disciplines and can often move from one to >the other with scarcely a pause. To choose but one example, Crick, of DNA >fame, moved into the quite different area of brain research. > >A century ago, the civil service over here used to be able to recruit some >of the best minds from Oxbridge, and they were able to move from one >department to another with ease. (Today, the best graduates have many more >opportunities for interesting work in corporations and academe, and the >civil service is distinctly second-rate. That's why so many huge blunders >are made today, such as the almost complete destruction of the tourist >industry in this country a year ago when the Department of Agriculture >couldn't supply prompt expertise in coping with foot-and-mouth disease.) > >Keith ****************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of LA Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (818) 352-4141 Fax: (818) 353-2242 *******************************
--- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.377 / Virus Database: 211 - Release Date: 7/15/2002
