From: mark@unicorn.com
Date: Tue Dec 15 1998 - 11:20:27 MST
Webb_S [Webb_S@bls.gov] wrote:
>In Russia and many SE Asian countries, for example, global
>capitalism looks rather like a dismal failure at the moment.
Which is really strange, because capitalism has nothing to do with the
economic failures in those countries. The problems in Asia and Russia are
largely due to cronyism and to IMF interference. Just as the FDIC caused
the S&L disaster in the US ('Hey guys, don't worry about bad loans, we'll
cover anything you lose'), the IMF ('Hey, why don't you make high-risk
investments in all these unstable countries, we'll pay you back if it all
goes wrong') caused the Asian and Russian collapse.
Only a government employee could blame this on capitalism. Government is
the cause of the problem, not the solution.
>A bit of an exaggeration, eh? I live in DC and work for the government.
>Trust me, most government activities have nothing to do with force.
*ALL* government activities are funded by taxes taken from individuals at
gunpoint. Or would you continue to work there if everyone refused to pay
taxes and you were no longer paid?
>Now, if you want to talk rampant coercion in modern America, my exhibit A
>would be the control businesses have over their employees.
Damn right. Something must be done about all those businesses staging
armed assaults on churches and then burning them down to "save the
children". Something must be done about all those corporate executives
committing perjury in sexual harassment cases and escaping justice with
the full support of the media.
And, BTW, if you're talking about drug tests and the like, who forced
those businesses to impose those tests? Oh, it was the government with
it's "war on drugs", wasn't it?
>Personally, I'm much more
>concerned about what my next (private sector) employer might do to me, or
>try to make me do, than I am about the guvmint.
Why? If a business messes you around you can go to one of their competitors
or start your own business. You have no such choice with the government.
Mark
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