Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dciem.UUCP Path: utzoo!dciem!mmt From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: GOALS - Planning for a future Message-ID: <1419@dciem.UUCP> Date: Sat, 23-Feb-85 21:53:44 EST Article-I.D.: dciem.1419 Posted: Sat Feb 23 21:53:44 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 23-Feb-85 22:19:12 EST References: <8118@brl-tgr.ARPA> <656@unmvax.UUCP> Reply-To: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) Distribution: net Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada Lines: 34 Summary: >Cliff proposes a zoo of every conceivable society, under a >World metagovernment, so that everyone could find their ideal >country. > >.... > >One problem, however. >I don't think that Socialism could ever work in a world where there >were also Free Market economies. >(My reasons are based upon my own opinionated misconceptions about >socialism, and are open to correction) In my youth, I also pondered this metagovernmental idea, and I still think it would be an interesting experiment. It wouldn't be a good test, though, because of the different stabilities of different systems. For example, suppose (as many people believe) that the current US economic boom is fueled by the depletion of other developed economies (just suppose). Wouldn't people right now want to join the US? When the boom collapsed, the otherwise more stable economies would have been ruined and there would be nowhere to go. Similarly with socialism. Suppose (just suppose) that it enabled a relatively slow growth in average quality of life, whereas libertaria allowed enormous boom and bust cycles on a much quicker time scale. Who would stay to help the socialist economy grow as it would in the absence of this temporarily more attractive neighbour? I am not claiming here that socialism would lead to a slower time cycle than libertarianism, or that it would result in more permanent improvement in life quality. I am saying that the metagovernment idea wouldn't work. -- Martin Taylor {allegra,linus,ihnp4,floyd,ubc-vision}!utzoo!dciem!mmt {uw-beaver,qucis,watmath}!utcsri!dciem!mmt