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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JohnM who wrote (62472)	12/20/2002 12:34:31 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

I'm afraid I wasn't taken with it. Several problems. Why am I not surprised? Although you went in a different direction than I thought you would. The notion that the "State" steals from the private sector is far too much reification for my tastes Since I start from the concept that the State is a "Necessary Evil," and is always the "Dark Side," to be held down as much as possible, I don't have too much of a problem with that notion. It has always "got" me that you, (generically speaking) can see the potential evil of the State when it sets out to restrict what you say or think, but have a problem with seeing the potential evil when the State sets out to restrict what you do. I don't know if you read the WP series on the adjustment problems of various immigrants in Atlanta. If not, please take a look at it. I was struck again by the differences in the way the Asian Immigrants reacted to the US compared to the Latin Immigrants. You and I always have a problem with defining "Culture," but this example, to me, shows the innate differences that constantly show up between the way people from these two cultures respond. The Latin is "go with the flow" while the Asian is "go against the flow." When we look at why the Governments in South America do not serve well as a platform for creating prosperity, and why the Asian ones seem to do better, I think we have to start with the knowledge that both tend to get in the way of prosperity, just to different degrees. Is there something about a Latin Culture that is generically hostile to Capitalism? We sure don't have any rich Latin Countries. Is Asia an example of Buchanan's concept that Democracy is not a good idea world wide? The Asians have been successful at creating prosperity in Japan and Korea with a Democratic Government. Tiawan never got off the ground until they went Democratic after Chang and installed a Capitalist system. Other repressive systems have been able to move up from total poverty without Democracy, but not beyond it, while India has remained poverty stricken with Democracy. campaign finance situation being what it is Again, we look at the glass from a different perspective. I see "Campaign Finance" as an attempt by the successful to ward off "Mob Rule." You see it as an impediment to implementation of a "Progressive" Government. authors are too much caught up in free market ideology Again, different perspectives. I saw this article as an attempt to explain why "Free Market" concepts had not been successful in South America. You seem to see it as a "Dogma" approach.