From: Michael M. Butler (mmb@spies.com)
Date: Thu Mar 06 2003 - 21:56:58 MST
Jumping in:
> Somehow, I can't really believe that it comes down
> to the *motivations* of the rulers. Do you really
> think that George Bush or Al Gore has a niceness
> gene missing in third-world country dictators?
> Instead, it's a systemic problem being steadily
> uncovered by only the most perceptive among us,
> namely people like Hernando De Soto, William Easterly,
> and Thomas Bethel ("Private Property: The Noblest
> Triumph").
I can't believe that the motivations of (bad) rulers
are not a factor. Ever hear about how Idi Amin treated
his Ministers of Tourism?
> Some countries have (1) rule of law (2) enormously
> strong forces for the protection of individual rights
> and private property. I can't think of a single word
> in that formula that can be omitted.
Necessary but perhaps not complete.
"[R]ule of law" as a phrase means something very different
in Russia, or so I am reliably informed.
The strong forces at work on Bush and Gore include having been raised in
the USA mythos (incorporating both the Capra
and robber baron varations). Born in Accra or Lagos,
different deal.
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