He is proposing a system to ensure a more equitable distribution of wealth.This is different from giving everyone the "same access to wealth".
The system of payment he is proposing does not depend on more taxation (or what you call theft). I hope it also does not depend on generating more debt. Harry ----- Original Message ---- > From: Craig Haynie <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Mon, December 20, 2010 10:46:30 PM > Subject: Re: [Vo]:OT: Virtual Currency - The future of currency in the 21st >century and beyond. > > On Mon, 2010-12-20 at 20:55 -0600, OrionWorks - Steven V Johnson wrote: > > Jed recently brought up some interesting issues related to how will a > > modern society manage to "spread-the-wealth" equitably when presumably > > robots perform most of the labor. > > I was having a similar conversation earlier... Here's the point I don't > get: you want to 'spread the wealth', but why? Presumably, it's a moral > argument: that people 'should' have the same access to wealth -- and not > only that -- but the argument is applied universally, meaning that there > are no exceptions. IF people 'should' have the same access to wealth, > then there are no people who should be exempt from this moral argument. > > But, and here's the but... if morality is your guide, then why isn't > theft also included in your argument? I am drawing a presumption here, > but the implication of your statement is that somehow we all 'should' > spread-the-wealth. That generally means that we should threaten people > with violence if they don't pay-up to help with the plan. If, however, > you have some other method in mind when taking money from people, then > my assumption is misplaced, and I can now understand that you are > looking for voluntary contributions to spread the wealth. But if you > believe in voluntary contributions to 'spread the wealth', then the > whole topic is really moved out of public debate, isn't it? By including > it here, as a point of public discussion, you're looking to devise a > mechanism by which people can be taxed, right? If so, then the principle > still applies: why would you apply a moral principle to 'spread the > wealth' universally, but refuse to apply a similar moral principle > universally, regarding theft? > > Craig > > >
