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: What is "capitalism"? (Explorations of "self-interest") Message-ID: <1583@dciem.UUCP> Date: Thu, 20-Jun-85 17:53:03 EDT Article-I.D.: dciem.1583 Posted: Thu Jun 20 17:53:03 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 20-Jun-85 21:35:25 EDT References: <298@spar.UUCP> Reply-To: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada Lines: 33 Summary: >Perhaps I can only suspect what's best for me. But who can consistently >know better, and how? > > Mike Sykora Mike has repeated this often, as if its obvious truth should be enough to end the debate. (And is surely must be true, No?). But it is not sufficient, because we live in a reactive world, not a passive one. In the case where X, Y, and Z all agree to let two overrule the contrary opinion of the third as to his planned behaviour, the point may be that ANY communally agreed behaviour will be better for ALL than any behaviour individually planned could be for each. This is much the same situation we face every day, and is the reason humanity grew up in tribes and communities. Our best interests can rarely be served by choosing our own behaviour pattern in ignorance (or in despite) of other people's wishes or behaviour plans. If my goals differ from yours, we may neither achieve our goals when we behave in conflict, but we may each attain part of our goals if we cooperate in doing what neither most desires. The result may not be "the best for me" or "the best for you", but it may be the best we could possibly achieve in the circumstances, unless you overpower me to force me to do your will. The result of this general need for cooperation is that we delegate the authority to decide many behaviour patterns to some authority, which we call a government. Apart from dogmatists, complaints arise mainly when the government attempts to regulate behaviour in the absence of potential conflict. -- Martin Taylor {allegra,linus,ihnp4,floyd,ubc-vision}!utzoo!dciem!mmt {uw-beaver,qucis,watmath}!utcsri!dciem!mmt