[ExI] Belief in Free Market Efficiency

[BillK]

On Sun, Feb 1, 2009 at 6:01 AM, Thomas wrote:
> The neocons were hypocrites who touted "free market" ideology to get votes
> and then proceeded to interfere deeper into the economy that ever before in history.

But their interference was to give the financial crooks (their
friends) more freedom from regulation than they had ever had before.
And this freedom enabled them to steal from more people on a larger
scale than the world has ever seen.

>
> The "world as it actually exists" includes many escape routes for those
> willing to think outside the "relative poverty" box.
> I think our founding fathers showed that humans can interact and trade on a
> free and equal basis.


The founding fathers were all comparatively rich and many owned
slaves, of course.
"The other founders resisted emancipation, not because it was a mad
scheme but because they did not want to relinquish the wealth which
slave sales poured into their coffers," says Wiencek.


> Our present "mixed" economy could not exist without some free market
> elements to mix with the fascism and socialism.  The equality in this context refers to
> impartial justice, not individual differences.


I agree with this. Although it is surprising to hear this coming from
a wild-eyed liber.  ;)


> Advantaged people trade on an equal basis in a free market so that anyone
> with anything to offer gets to benefit from what the advantaged ones trade!
> As long as we don't mix political advantage with economic advantage
> everyone benefits in this win-win game.


That is the fundamental difference that libs just don't comprehend.
People are not equal in knowledge, intelligence, wealth, ability,
desire, etc.
(Unequal in everything except equality under the law).
The market might be 'free' but it is certainly not 'fair or equitable'
to take advantage of those weaker than yourself. A 'free' trade is
possible, but a 'fair' trade isn't.



> If you really want "to make the best of what is available" then I challenge
> you:
> to think about what can exist where TRANShumans interact,
> to perpetuate progress by seeking the removal of political constraints,
> to transform yourself through critical and creative thinking,
> to practice optimism in place of stagnant pessimism,
> to apply technology to transcend the limits of our culture,
> to support an open society preferring exchange over compulsion,
> to direct your self (rather than long for regulation),
> to think rationally (rather than cynically reject every new idea).
>


Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
Hoorah! for the mixed economy!  :)


BillK