Left - Right : Epiphany

[maskedmelon]

Originally Posted by Nibblewitz [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Good governments should be large enough to safeguard its citizenship from the greed of capitalism.

See this is precisely where I disagree. Capitalistic societies must necessarily have small lean governments to limit the power that can be purchased. A powerful government in a capitalistic society is a Shinkansen to oppression and stagnation.

[Nibblewitz]

Originally Posted by maskedmelon [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

See this is precisely where I disagree. Capitalistic societies must necessarily have small lean governments to limit the power that can be purchased. A powerful government in a capitalistic society is a Shinkansen to oppression and stagnation.

I'm not so sure you do. Unfettered capitalism is governed by black hole physics: money will pool in the hands of those who have. The same amounts of power will be purchased, just not purchased through a government who might possibly roll some prosperity down hill.

What you seem to really want is a world run by totalitarian factions (corporations). Very similar to what we have now sans humanitarian organizations; they couldn't exist in the world of red and black.

[maskedmelon]

Originally Posted by Nibblewitz [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'm not so sure you do. Unfettered capitalism is governed by black hole physics: money will pool in the hands of those who have. The same amounts of power will be purchased, just not purchased through a government who might possibly roll some prosperity down hill.

Oh, so corporations are able to purchase the same amounts of power from the City of Butte, Montana as they can from United States of America? Why don't they just work with Butte then? Fewer people to deal with.

What you seem to really want is a world run by totalitarian factions (corporations). Very similar to what we have now sans humanitarian organizations; they couldn't exist in the world of red and black.

No, that's again precisely the opposite of what I said, although I do believe humanitarian organizations are a detriment to humanity. The situation that you describe though is the situation you would realize with a powerful government in a capitalistic society. In a capitalistic society the absence of a robust government to exploit means corporate survival hinges on defending oneself from competitors.

You make the false presumption that a large government is somehow inherently virtuous and officials would not be purchased by corporations in an environment of unfettered capitalism. We know that not to be true based on current circumstance. Right now our largest for-profit entities exist only because of government. They'd have died the death they should have had the government lacked the power to spare them.

[maskedmelon]

Originally Posted by maskedmelon [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Oh, so corporations are able to purchase the same amounts of power from the City of Butte, Montana as they can from United States of America? Why don't they just work with Butte then? Fewer people to deal with.

I read your post wrong when I wrote the Nibs. You said "whether purchase through government or not," so this analogy would not apply.

My last post still applies though^^