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Politics : The Castle -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (3033)	3/9/2004 7:48:41 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 7936

Capitalism, like Democracy, is the worst system except for all the others. A capitalist system will never be perfect but consistently moving away from the market will almost always bring worse results. Capitalism, yes. Democracy, I'm not so sure about. But you're right, Capitalism is far from perfect. It's just the best of the range of options. Critics can always pick away at its problems, and they will always find something to pick at. They think that because they can pick at problems in capitalism, it's a bad system. That's the fallacy. It's not perfect because there IS no perfect system. But it's the best of the available imperfect systems. The only role I think government has in the capitalist system is making sure it remains viable capitalism. Which means, IMO, that monopolies should be penalized. Not forbidden. My answer is much simpler -- a progressive corporate income tax on revenues. For example, just making up some numbers for an example, first 100,000 of revenues, no tax. Next million, taxed at 10%. Next million, taxed at 15%. Next million, taxed at 20%. Next million, 25%. Next five milling, 30%. Next 5 million, 40%. Next 10 million, 45%. Next 50 million, 50%. Next 100 million, 55%, next 100 million, 60%, everything above that, 67%. This would enable small companies to compete vigorously with large companies. It would encourage small companies, which encourages competition. And no need for the whole mechanism of antitrust law. If Microsoft wants to be the size they are and pay 67% taxes on all their additional revenues, let them. The market will soon cut them down to size.

To: TimF who wrote (3033)	3/10/2004 3:07:07 AM
From: tejek	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 7936

"Caused what problem? The crash itself, the depression what?" The crash. I agree with CH that market crashes are caused by "The intersection of stupidity and greed." Such an intersection will exist even with heavy government regulation both because the government can't really regulate everything (or if it can you have totalitarian government which is far worse then a market crash) and because government officials can also be greedy and stupid. I see......according to you, there is no benefit gained from having margin accounts or insuring bank accounts; that its been sheer luck that we have managed to not experience the booms and busts that took place between 1850 and the 1930s. Well, I think you and CH should move the Castle to the outback. " You think that the crash or depression would not have happened had the government in say 1925 decided to regulate more?" Yes. Most of the post 1925 changes in law and regulation contributed to the crash and the depression. Perhaps perfectly wise regulations could have prevented or at least mitigated the crash but regulators are not perfectly wise. Uh-huh. Overt greed usually results in over the top speculation Overt greed exists in even totalitarian countries. Yes, but it doesn't topple markets because there are none to speak of in a total. country. Another flaw.....the tendency to develop monopolies or oligarchies in order to control the market and the price of goods. I can see this as a flaw but monopolies are far more likely to form because of government action then because of its absence. Yes, and did you know the sky was black? Seriously, all the years in school......I guess they were feeding me propaganda. I should have called you for the straight scoop. I know capitalism is a sacred cow with you but it is flawed. I never said it wasn't flawed. In fact recently in this conversation I did say that capitalism was flawed. Capitalism, like Democracy, is the worst system except for all the others. A capitalist system will never be perfect but consistently moving away from the market will almost always bring worse results. I was with you until that little bit.....but that's okay. ted