Re: The Education Function

Dick.Gray@bull.com
Mon, 14 Dec 1998 08:41:47 -0700

Emmanuel Charpentier <manu@cybercable.fr> wrote:

>I think the difference capitalism/socialism is about
>competition/cooperation.

No, it's about peaceful means versus armed force, at least in practice. Socialism is just as competitive as a free market, it's just that socialist competition is at the point of a gun rather than by consumer choice.

>And there might be times when nationwide
>cooperation is necessary. War time? Fight against disease? Talks with
>other groups of people?

When cooperation is necessary, people cooperate; they don't need someone to make them cooperate. Forced "cooperation" is not cooperation in any meaningful sense.

>So, I go for a government that would primarily have two
>responsibilities: defense and diplomacy. Or do you think enterprises
>could manage that too???

Any legitimate service a government provides can be done much more efficiently and cheaply in a free market, and without any coercion.

Dick