Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!eecae!netnews.upenn.edu!rutgers!bellcore!texbell!sugar!ficc!jeffd
From: jeffd@ficc.uu.net (jeff daiell)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Ethics of crippler and enhencer circuitry
Summary: The Real Weakness
Message-ID: <3386@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 12 Mar 89 11:20:14 GMT
References: <325@bnr-fos.UUCP> <1470@percival.UUCP>
Organization: Ferranti International Controls
Lines: 37

In article <1470@percival.UUCP>, gary@percival.UUCP (Gary Wells) writes:
> 
> In a true free market ...  the maker
> gets to sell it for whatever he can ...
> Note that there is no _obligation_ on the 
> maker to lower the price, other than that produced by 
> the desire to make a sale,
> even if at a lower price.
> 
> Both cummunism and socialism fail on the same point: they depend on the basic
> honesty and intelligence of each individual.  All it takes is one selfish
> person, and either of these fail.  Unfortuneately, there are more under
> educated, self centered, greedy poeple than there are any other kind.

Actually, where socialism and communism fail,  using this
example, is:  after giving away your first batch, you have 
no money with which to make a second batch.  The barter examples
given are just too clumsy and haphazard to work -- IF they
occur at all.

Re: selfishness.  Yes, in the sense of "I want what I can
honorably get", capitalism runs on selfishness.  But
collectivism depends on 'second-hander selfishness' --
i.e., wanting not only what's yours, but what's properly
someone else's, as well.

Para un Tejas Libre,

Jeff Daiell



-- 
   "Why can't they be like *we* were -- perfect in every way?
              What's the matter with kids today?"

                                From "Bye, Bye Birdie"