- Capitalism and Alternatives -

Good Ones.

Posted by: Red Deathy ( Socialist party, UK ) on July 09, 1999 at 13:26:27:

In Reply to: assumptions posted by Gee on July 09, 1999 at 12:28:53:

: thats assumes that at any given time there will be more videos, more cars, more houses, more holidays in florida, more beach huts, more everything that is likely to be desired by a given population,

Which is not in and of itself an absurd assumption, because we have the possibility now of ensuring that we can make enough goods to satisfy everyones needs (sustainably, and efficiently).- not sure about Hollidays mind, reckon, though, there'd be free movement for everyone.

: that the potential thief wont bother because its just waiting in the village communal store, or would be there in a couple of hours.

Why steal, if you can get it anyway? Unless you are presupposing some transcendant character of 'theif' who just steals, much like the scorpion, coz thats what they do, then we have to assume that folks would get their free video, rather than risk the unpleasantness of stealing one. Nothing to do with punishment- its just more ahssle to steal.

:And all of this assumes that people will all want to produce all this stuff on the trust that others will be doing the same (ever played the prisoners dilemma?)

Well, they'll see that everyone else is producing, so they'll be able to know.

: And what of crimes of fraud and powermongering - to cast them aside as not happening because every one will be nice and chilled out seems a little optimistic.

Why commit fraud- there's no money to be made from it? And power mongering, well, without hierarchy and positions of power, tehre would be no room for such behaviour.

: If SDF came back now and accused you of creating a fantasy world he would be doing so with as much justice as in accusing Ari Strongmans view of Anarcho capitalism as being all shiny and nice (and thus questionable).

If he did, I would point out that my assumptions are rational, whereas we all know that Ari's are not rational, and are fundamentally flawed...

:(funny how I took the main rap back when Joel was talking AC, and i just added some broadly supportive posts - i think AC might be workable but I wont pretend it would be heaven on earth)

I don't think socialism would be heaven on earth, but I reckon it would be good, and a damn sight better than we have now...


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