A Problem I See With Pure Capitalism - Page 5

PLOlover · #41 02-02-2007, 02:49 PM

It's commonly taught in universities nowadays that it's ok to steal if it's for a "greater good", like you need to steal a medicine to save a life, because life is the highest good or something like that.

I got "taught" that in a "psychology of women" communist feminist upper division required humanities course at a state university in the 90's.

I'm sure it's much worse now.

DustinG · #42 02-02-2007, 03:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
It's commonly taught in universities nowadays that it's ok to steal if it's for a "greater good", like you need to steal a medicine to save a life, because life is the highest good or something like that.

I got "taught" that in a "psychology of women" communist feminist upper division required humanities course at a state university in the 90's.

I'm sure it's much worse now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it your opinion that it is never ok to steal for any reason?

Also, could someone explain to me what an ACer is?

Yads · #43 02-02-2007, 05:43 PM

This is the problem you see with pure capitalism? How about people's tendency to value short term over long term benefits?

DustinG · #44 02-02-2007, 05:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]
This is the problem you see with pure capitalism? How about people's tendency to value short term over long term benefits?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure I understand your question. I agree completely that people tend to overvalue short term benefits without taking into account long term considerations. And I think that I have addressed this in regards to the OP in some of my earlier posts.

As far as the problems that I have with pure capitalism, the biggest one is that we haven't defined what pure capitalism is yet.

Darryl_P · #45 02-02-2007, 06:50 PM

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Also, could someone explain to me what an ACer is?

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AC = anarcho-capitalism = pure capitalism

The rules are simple:

1. Everyone must respect other peoples' property rights.

2. No one is in charge, ie. there is no government.

Actually rule 2. is redundant because it follows from 1. Governments, by definition, violate peoples' property rights.

If a person violates rule number 1 (e.g. by stealing) then the victim is allowed to retaliate with impunity, provided it doesn't exceed a magnitude that the given society agrees upon. AC societies can differ from one another on this point.

ACer = someone who believes AC is the best possible system for a society

Darryl_P · #46 02-02-2007, 06:58 PM

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How about people's tendency to value short term over long term benefits?

[/ QUOTE ]

There is nothing inherent in capitalism itself that makes people value the short term vs the long term. That is a function of the people. It's possible to have an AC society consisting of Buddhist monks, for example.

Joga Bonito · #47 02-02-2007, 07:10 PM

[ QUOTE ]

AC = anarcho-capitalism = pure capitalism

The rules are simple:

1. Everyone must respect other peoples' property rights.

2. No one is in charge, ie. there is no government.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am a firm believer in laissez-faire capitalism, which in my eyes is pure-capitalism. Not this Anarchist-capitalism state you're referring to.

In Laissez-faire capitalism there is the belief in the governments right to exist. Only insofar that it protects and does not infringe upon individuals right to life, liberty and property i.e. a diamond toilet seat.

DustinG · #48 02-02-2007, 07:44 PM

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There is nothing inherent in capitalism itself that makes people value the short term vs the long term. That is a function of the people. It's possible to have an AC society consisting of Buddhist monks, for example.

[/ QUOTE ]

Personality theorists have done all sorts of experiments measuring delayed gratification, and they have found that it is in fact a personality trait. Postive correlates with high delaying females include 'genuinely values intellectual and cognitive matters', 'Is a genuinely dependable person' and so on.

Negative correlates include "Feels a lack of personal meaning", "self-indulgent", "characteristically pushes limits", etc.

The set for males is slightly different but similar. I don't know about what sorts of cross-cultural studies have been done on delay-gratification though. But I would wager that Americans are more apt to take the quick fix than most other cultures.

Darryl_P · #49 02-02-2007, 08:12 PM

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I am a firm believer in laissez-faire capitalism, which in my eyes is pure-capitalism. Not this Anarchist-capitalism state you're referring to.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think Sklansky meant it as AC, though. Reason is I remember some debates in SMP where he asked a few questions about it and mentioned he wanted to think more deeply about it before forming an opinion. He called it pure capitalism back then, so I assume he's kept that definition.

Of course I could be wrong. Maybe DS will grace us with his presence and clear it up.

Joga Bonito · #50 02-02-2007, 08:23 PM

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I think Sklansky meant it as AC, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

If this is the case I believe Sklansky is making an error in judgement by using AC as the standard for pure-capitalism.

Having a governing body is inherent to any functioning society, so for the sake of argument it should be assumed that pure-capitalism includes a governing body.