Not money: power. The state always expands during wartime,
and rarely if ever retreats afterward to its former size.
("War is the health of the state.")
To blame "Businessmen" for wars, you must ignore the fact that MOST
of them, on either side, LOSE money in wartime.
: Who profits from a tax policy which burdens the majority and favours
: the minority? The minority, of course. Which is not the government.
Hah! Government is the most favored minority of all!
: John Clark, one of the more intelligent free market advisors, would
: answer: "If you remove governments, all this corruption will disappear
: and the free market will bring up only efficient companies." The problem
: is that by removing government, you only remove a cover under which the
: true power elite hides. The power structures remain - and before you can
: say "Jebediah", your country will be ruled directly by big enterprises.
Evidence?
If you're right, wouldn't it be better in some ways to have the beast
made naked, so all can see its true nature?
: Luddism is a perfectly understandable reaction in capitalism. Because in
: a capitalist society, progress in production efficiency will often hurt
: the population. The more efficient you are, the less workers you need.
: More unemployment. 4,5 million registered in Germany today, and rising.
So why did employment in the Nottingham textile industry (origin of the
term "Luddite") increase with mechanization?
Of course there are no state regulatory barriers to employment,
only reactionary "libertarians" believe that, right?
: About military: Why do you think we have it? Because some bums in the
: government think we need it to defend our country?
Because military forces have been around longer than anyone can remember,
and few dare question their necessity? I dunno, you tell us.
: Most extropians despise governments, but at the same time, they are the
: perfect democrats. Because they really believe that democracy works the
: way it is intended to work - they just think that this way is not right.
Well, let's have a show of hands. How many here believe there's no fraud
in democracy as it is, in your respective city or country?
: Dana & Laurie Kissick wrote:
: > It is kinda like computers; the more widespread and available they
: > are, the less likely it is that they will be used to oppress us.
:
: Ever heard about the NSA? That's not a product of the free market,
: but it's a structure needed in all governments (and the free market
: is just a new form of dictatorship).
Wow man, that's so cosmic, y'know? Have another toke.
: > "It's a far easier thing to have a firm anchor in ignorance than out
: > to set on the troubled seas of thought."
:
: And many extropians seem to prefer the easy way.
Love you too.
Anton Sherwood *\\* +1 415 267 0685 *\\* DASher@netcom.com