--- Philip Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Let us review the problems with this post in > descending order of importance: > > 1. The solution that is recommended -- "start businesses and > compete" --- seems a throwback to the ancient times of hunter > gatherers and the origins of coinage! Its not a "free market" > response as claimed but a "free-for-all" market response! Today > we have standards, regulation etc which almost all businesses > have to comply with. > Mario responds: > "Throwback to hunter-gatherers"? Starting a business is "...not a free market response"? What quaint observations. What Philip derisively calls a "free-for-all" market response is what makes the free market economies around the world so dynamic and efficient. While India may still have some bureaucratic controls that are remnants of its disastrous 50-year socialist experiment, these are being liberalized to the point that a growing number of NRI's are returning to India and doing exactly what Philip seems to have some contempt for, starting new businesses to take advantage of sub-standard practices in existing businesses. > Philip writes: > > 2. I never "proposed" anything let alone dictate prices "I" > want to be charged! I simply asked for information. The > problem here might be one of "shooting the messenger" instead > of critiquing the message (i.e. of J.Zuzarte).. > Mario replies: > OK. So, let J. Zuzarte take issue with my suggestions. > Philip continues: > > 3. I do not equate "ground reality" with "uniform > practices". In fact I used the expression "various practices" > in recognition of this very problem! Pls read my post. > Mario replies: > Just by the way, you did not use the expression "various practices". Here is exactly what you said, "Sure, this is the theory. But what is the ground reality in Goa? Would you say the charges tourists are confronted with for various services are "cost competitive", "what the market can bear" or "plain unadulterated rip-off"? > Here are my answers: In my opinion the ground reality includes all kinds of businesses. Those with a rational long term philosophy will charge prices at a reasonable profit margin commensurate with their competition, demand and supply. I'm not sure what the definition of a "cost competitive" prices is. There may be businesses that charge prices that are "plain unadulterated rip-off", and this philosophy will hurt them in the longer run. > Philip is now showing some signs of irritability: > > 4. The discrepancy between the spelling of my name when > referring to the original post and in the text is not a big > deal but may be symptomatic of an unfortunate tendency > to "rush to the keyboard" -- without seeing and without > thinking! > Mario replies: > It shouldn't be a big deal, but it was you who has brought it up in a manner that suggests either a thin skin or having a bad day. Rather than make a baseless allegation that the spelling of your name MAY be "symtomatic of an unfortunate tendency to "rush to the keyboard"", perhaps you should have assumed that it MAY be just a typo. Did that ever occur to you? > Philip writes: > > The bottom line is that the author's facile advice to get out > and grab opportunities instinctively probably betrays the very > mercantilistic tendency that he ostensibly decries in > business. > Mario replies: > You are right, Philip. It is far more facile to complain than to do something positive and constructive. And how did you conclude that my mercantilist tendency "ostensibly" decries ANYTHING in any honest business? Frankly, my automatic mercantilist tendency is to believe that predatory business practices are counterproductive and the "making hay while the sun shines" mentality makes it a self fulfilling prophecy that the sun will definitely set on that particular business, fairly quickly as the word spreads.
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