Am I ever foolish. I thought national political leaders were thinking of society's best interests.
It looks like "society" is a public good. It is in everybody's interest but no body can directly appropriate the benefits that flow from a well functioning society. arthu -----Original Message----- From: Ed Weick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2003 2:38 PM To: Thomas Lunde; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Futurework] Free Trade kills :: Why not :economy games" like "war games" instead of economy like war? It's a nice thought, Thomas, but a problem would seem to be the scale within which people think. I'd suggest that very few people think in terms of what is best for "society". They think in terms of what is best for themselves, their families or, at the most, their extended families. Organizations such as unions, corporations and political parties may think more broadly, but even they think in terms of what is best for the organization. Philosophers think in terms of what is best for society, but who pays any attention to them? Ed > > Ed Weick wrote: > > > >> Brad, you seem to proposing that the market should be viewed as part of > >> society, responsible to society, and not the other way around. What a > >> radical thought! > > [snip] > > Thomas: > > This is a radical thought that has a lot of truth in it and may answer one > usasked question. What is first. The market or society. I would answer - > society and society invents and defines the market to serve itself which is > comprised of the individuals within that market - in current terms within > our national boundries. An enlightened society would choose activities that > benefited all members of that society - why because of the benefits of > peace, order, safety, comfort, freedom, and choices offered to every > individual. Currently we reward and idealize the rich and powerful. > Perhaps that explains the defenders of the current society. They either are > rich and powerful or aspire to be. A different ethos is possible, the > greatest good for everyone and therefore a different activity of supply and > demand might make more sense in the process of creating more equality. > > > > > > I don't think I've just drivelled out another obvious "romantic" > > platitude, although I didn't give my reference: > > > > ...[T]he principle should be "Protect the worker, > > not the industry." > > > > "Tariffs on steel: George Bush, protectionist: The > > president's decision to place high tariffs on > > imports of steel is disgraceful", The Economist, > > 9-15Mar2002 (page ref. lost). > > > > This article is behind the pay-for barricade on the Economist > > website -- It will take someone who saves the > > print editions or has a subscription to get at the > > article. > > > > But I believe the idea was that every country should provide > > its workers a social safety net, and *then* remove > > tariffs and let uneconomical industries fail if foreign > > competition beat them. > > > > [Of course, this doesn't answer the question what to > > do about a counry that is a universal loser like the > > U.S. may have a predilection for tending to become -- > > I'm thinking here about things like "Detroit" which > > produces cars nobody except an American or somebody > > with "American envy" -- would buy.] > > > > I hope this helps... > > > > \brad mccormick > > > > -- > > Let your light so shine before men, > > that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16) > > > > Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21) > > > > <![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Futurework mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework > > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
