Don't be silly, J.R. I'm not stating any of those things, and you've
leaped to conclusions.
I only point out that libertarians should be able to explain why some
countries have struggled alot harder than other countries under almost
identical conditions during and since communism fell, and I don't
think that libertarians can explain it without the extra pieces of
information that De Soto's book provides. (my opinion based on my
conversation with Mark)
Libertarians should also be able to answer to why, in general, many
poorer countries that have the communism yoke lifted now aren't taking
off. A glib answer 'that it took communism 70 years to mess up their
country' is unsatisfactory. I'm presenting this, slightly playing
devil's advocate, but more to show that this is a glaring deficiency
for folks who wish to promote freedom in all its forms. From what I
know about De Soto's book, we have a powerful new set of concepts now
that we can use to answer the critics, and to change the situation in
those countries too.
[You can be sure that communist-advocates or those against libertarian
ideas will point to Lithuania's situation and ask why this country
which had so fewer communists is struggling the most out of the three
Baltic countries?]
You must look at the layers underneath, i.e. the old and new economic
and political infrastructure during communism and after the Fall to
understand the differences between the rate of economic advancement
between the three countries. I'm sure that the book will be able to
point out some good reasons, but since I didn't read the book yet, and
have a still fuzzy unformed picture of the kinds of nodes and networks
that are important, I'll stop here.
Amara
--************************************************************************ Amara Graps, PhD | Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik Heidelberg Cosmic Dust Group | Saupfercheckweg 1 +49-6221-516-543 | 69117 Heidelberg, GERMANY Amara.Graps@mpi-hd.mpg.de * http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/dustgroup/~graps ************************************************************************ "Never fight an inanimate object." - P. J. O'Rourke
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