From: Carlos Gonzalia (gonzalia@cs.chalmers.se)
Date: Tue Jul 24 2001 - 13:13:39 MDT
>From: Dehede011@aol.com
>
>In a message dated 7/24/01 8:49:46 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
>gonzalia@cs.chalmers.se writes: But the statistics I've read for Argentina
>show a continued increase in income concentration on behalf of the 10% or so
>of the population that forms the upper class.
>
>Carlos,
> Is it okay to address you as Carlos or do you prefer "C" as you sign
>yourself that way?
Ah, that's just a (bad?) habit of signing off my e-mails. Sorry if it
is bothersome and address me as Carlos of course.
> Please allow me to nit pick or quibble with your conclusions. I
>believe if you read The Bell Curve by Herrnstein and Murray you will find out
>they contend that another force is at play. Our world wide economy is
>increasingly high tech and pays a premium for excellence and intelligence. I
>think you will find much the same conclusions in The Lexus and the Olive Tree
>although the author may lean more toward excellence that intelligence. In
>addition, Richard Epstein the Dean of the University of Chicago's School of
>Law argues that we must simplify the law so the underclass can once again
>under stand the law and take their position in society knowing they are both
>fitting in and being respected. Perhaps I under simplify but as this is a
>discussion I am sure someone will straighten me out if I am wrong -- and I
>will be thankful.
And I agree heartily with what you say. All I've been trying to carry through
with my last e-mails can be boiled down to this: the Argentine political and
business class misused, bungled and wasted the chance they had during the
past 10 years to let the market forces and privatizations put our country
on the right path. The rich have grown richer, the poor poorer, the security
forces utterly corrupt, and the politicians and unions fossilized in ideas
and programs that are ridiculously hopeless. The local oligarchy gladly
joined the looting, twisting the market process to their own benefits,
piggybacking the Menem administration's shameless plunders. I'm all for
free markets and global economy. My only serious complaint to the
free markets and global economy actors is they were and are utterly naive
if they thought our local establishment wasn't going to shove the cost of
the transition to the lower classes and the public state, all the while
using the process to gain an even stronger hold on the country's economy
and politics. My fear is that the chance has been really wasted by now,
and we will face long years of stagnation and petty miseries before any
of the benefits of modernization and technology actually affect the bigger
part of our population instead of the self-anointed few.
> But none of the above is intended to contradict what you are saying.
>Rather I am saying that if you are right then the poor are getting it from
>both ends of the stick.
That is my impression in the case of Argentina, yes. As my knowledge of
other developing countries is not good enough, I can't say if this is
an exceptional case or a common phenomenon. Probably something in the middle,
though...
> The practical difference between us is that I will argue that we have
>to be aware of both forces if we wish to improve the situation.
>Ron h.
Well not really a difference. I'm aware of both forces, it's just that
the damage caused by the complete misuse of the free markets idea by the
local establishment overshadows anything else for now. I don't see my
country going anywhere until the establishment actually lets markets act
instead of just pretending they do.
-Carlos
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