The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer is an unevitable result of capitalism. It's just what happens when you have a free market. Wealth allows long-term investments, resulting in more wealth. Poverty means you can't make long-term investments (in a very broad sense), meaning your situation is likely to become even worse in the future. Fortunately, governments sometimes redistribute some wealth back to the poor, but the situation remains far from perfect. It hasn't really got to do with self-confidence.
You steal a scroll labelled HITME. The orc hits you.
I'm poor. Hopefully, I'm one of those kids from the ghetto who makes it big, like in TV.
I said it before, and I'll say it again. If I knew scripture like you, I'd prolly be an athiest too.. -gut
/l、
(゚、 。 7
l、 ~ヽ
じしf_, )ノ
Poverty and misery is quite common - but being able to smile despite that, on the other hand - is rare. And the later of thoose two, is usually something that could attract a person.
I've won with the following classes ; Monk and Bard.
> The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer is an unevitable result of
> capitalism. It's just what happens when you have a free market.
My old quasi-commy friend, let us highjack this thread for our Marxist ramblings.
I'd say 'free' market isn't all that is to blame. The goverment also has a vested
interest in concentrating wealth. If an economy has even wealth distribution, say
$100/10 people, at a 10% tax rate = a $10 gov budget. Oppressive distribution
yields much better though. First, completely exempt 9 people (at $5 each) from
taxes completely, as $4.50 is no big loss anyway. Next, tax the rich guy (the other
$55 of yer economy) at 50% for a total of $27.50 (nearly tripple the other budget).
The masses are happy because you are 'on their side', and the rich guy is happy,
as he still has ~6 times as much money as anybody else. The only angry guy is
some hillbilly off in the boonies that nobody listens to anyway.
> Poverty means you can't make long-term investments
Worse, it means circumstance often forces frequent visits to high interest rate
lenders. Loan sharks could really learn a thing or two from these guys.
> Fortunately, governments sometimes redistribute some wealth back to the poor,
There is a difference between 'redistribute' and 'allocate'. They are REALLY
good at the 'allocating' part, not so good at the whole 'distributing' part.
Following the money usually reveals that little that is allocated to the poor
ever reaches them, but is instead siphoned off along the way by corporations.
A suspicious minded person may even think that the siphoning was actually
planned along with the allocation. Lobbyist do make nice sallaries for a
reason, I suppose ; )
It was Marx who said "in capitalism, all gains must be private, all losses must be public."
Last edited by gut; 05-10-2010 at 01:17 PM.
"Whip me!" pleads the adom player. The rng replies... "No."
- will KGB exist when the communism will come?
- No, by then people will learn to self-arrest
Last edited by boris_pankov@inbox.ru; 05-11-2010 at 10:03 AM.
Good one Boris.
I didn't want to advocate communism. I was just pointing out drawbacks of a total lasser-faire policy, where the free market goes completely unchecked. I'm well aware that the communist regimes we've seen weren't exactly utopia.
Gut, you're confirming my prejudices about Americans here: as soon as you say something mildly socialist, they start about how you can never trust any government and call you a communist..
You steal a scroll labelled HITME. The orc hits you.
> What does this have to do with the subject of the thread?
Nothing, that's why I announced it as a highjack.
> they start about how you can never trust any government
We may disagree on this, but I do say you can't trust government.
Does it surprise you that a lot of politicians say the same exact thing?
They will tell you that government doesn't love you, it's not related
to you, and it's not even your friend. I'll leave sarcasm to the side
and just mention that my own gov has, in the past, inflicted their own
people with diseases in order to study the effects, constructed
'concentration camps' to isolate their own citizens, and started wars
for purely financial reasons. Sadly, it's prolly one of the better ones,
even considering all that. Nosir. You can not 'trust' government.
> and call you a communist
Tone doesn't always come across. I wasn't saying you were a communist.
I meant that you question capitalism, and I was approving. People do
(Americans more, you say?) tend to call others 'commies' if they
question capitalism, (I've been there, believe me) and that's why I was
making a sarcastic joke of it. Should have used [/sarcasm] marks : )
Honestly, I don't even advocate mild socialism, as I think properly
functioning capitalism has it beat by a mile. How to get it functioning
properly though? To my eyes, reading and understanding the criticisms
of capitalism is the best way. Wonder how likely those stupid insurance
company bail-outs would have been, had more Americans read Marx.
Are they really going to continue calling bail-outs 'free market'?
How, exactly? Oh well, as long as the people are buying it, why not?
Last edited by gut; 05-11-2010 at 10:04 PM.
"Whip me!" pleads the adom player. The rng replies... "No."
I'm sorry, that was a stupid post of me and unwarranted. Me troll.
Guess I should talk less about things like ponies and politics.
You steal a scroll labelled HITME. The orc hits you.