[lit-ideas] Re: Deep Poverty at Record Levels, Where's That?

  • From: John Wager <john.wager1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 07:41:23 -0600

Lawrence Helm wrote:
. . . . There is plenty of evidence that some of the Western European economies are already suffering from promising more entitlements than they can afford. French leadership has attempted to get the people to cut back and receive only what the nation can afford, but such attempts were defeated at the polls.
I agree: Western European economies are having some trouble keeping up with unbridled (American) capitalism. They've been having some trouble for quite a few years now, and I expect that they will continue to have trouble for quite a few years into the future. Probably MANY MANY years into the future.
I would rather live here than in France, for many reasons, not the least is the U.S. desire for more individual liberty.
But while we're debating the absolute differences between "socialism" and "capitalism" as though they were complete contradictories, France is muddling through, continuing to moderate the worst effects of capitalism on its citizens, because France has indeed, democratically, decided that this is a "Good Thing" to do.
So what's wrong with muddling through, having trouble keeping up? Why is that not a viable model? 


--
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"Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by incompetence and ignorance." ------------------------------------------------- 
John Wager                john.wager1@xxxxxxxxxxx
                                  Lisle, IL, USA


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