[ExI] are all cultures equivalent?

[spike]

> ...On Behalf Of Stathis Papaioannou
> Subject: Re: [ExI] are all cultures equivalent?
> 
> 2009/4/13 spike <spike66 at att.net>:
> 
> > My view on the wealth of nations is of course influenced by 
> our recent 
> > experience with the Berlin Wall...
> > assets.  Holding to the classic controls theory analogy, we 
> would say: 
> > by shortening that feedback loop, the gain of the system is 
> increased...
> 
> And, in the final analysis, the efficient and productive 
> systems shall prevail over the less efficient, less 
> productive. So what would you say if in a few decades the 
> wealthiest, most powerful nations are not following a pure 
> free market economic program?... Stathis Papaioannou

Then of course the feedback control system analogy fails, and the theory
would be discarded.  The current success of China works perfectly with that
analogy, for in a control system in which the feedback loop is not as
direct, the output shows large amplitude fluctuations at lower frequencies.
We would expect communist nations to have a generation or two of relatively
good times, followed by a long and deep bust.

There would be an alternative explanation in this case: the Chinese
government mandates for small families (one child, left behind) caused
enormous savings for a while, lasting until all those ageing parents need
support from their vastly overwhelmed younger generation.  Secondly, China
is functionally transitioning from communism to capitalism, since 1989.
Good for them, but it still doesn't solve a huge problem of what to do with
the starving hordes of AARPs, or rather in their case CARPs.

spike