From: Smigrodzki, Rafal (SmigrodzkiR@msx.upmc.edu)
Date: Fri Apr 05 2002 - 09:07:34 MST
James Rogers [mailto:jamesr@best.com] wrote:
On Thu, 2002-04-04 at 13:06, Smigrodzki, Rafal wrote:
> ### It might be acceptable to allow people not to pay taxes for research -
> but only if they pledge not to use medical care, not to eat, drive a car,
> read about astronomy, use a computer - in brief, not to benefit from all
the
> results of scientific research applied to real life situations, without
> paying their dues.
>
> I wonder how many true libertarians would be willing to accept this
> certainly equitable but oh so difficult solution.
Ummm... I pay for the research when I buy the car, pay for the medical
care, buy my food, etc. They amortize research expenses the same way I
do for my businesses.
### The historically low prices for food (in constant dollars, or a
percentage of average income), the highest-ever quality of medical care, the
best ever cars - all include the results of government-sponsored research.
The market price accounts only for a part of their value - the effort their
producers put into their manufacture. The cost of the public investment is
not included, because all of the suppliers had free access to it. Therefore,
taking a shot of penicilline without the willingness to pay for basic
research is equivalent to freeloading.
-----
If your line of thinking is correct, how is it that Americans were so
technologically innovative in the 19th century absent taxation?
### Low lying fruit - a hundred years ago a moderately affluent private
person, out of curiosity or hope of social recognition, could finance a
serious research effort in biology, physics, or chemistry. It was much
easier to be innovative, because there were so many simple things to
discover. The discovery of DNA by Miescher only required a mortar and
pestle, hand-operated centrifuge, some common cheap chemicals. Inventing the
telegraph needed only a brilliant idea, and some wire.
Now the situation is different - if you want to understand the way from DNA
to the function of the brain you need serious cash. Without public support
only a fraction of today's research funds would be available. Work without
immediate uses would remain unpublished, or not be done at all. It would
mean no uploading this century.
Rafal
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