Marco,
You are the greatest!! Your recent post was awesome, and we agree in soooo
many ways. Let me throw out a few observations.
1) On cooperative/competition, we are in great alignment. We both agree that
competition is a necessary element of evolution. We could argue a weee bit
on whether the failure of so many alternatives to democracy is best
characterized as resulting in:
a) less competition between styles of government, or
b) more competition within the dominant economic model.
Certainly neither is exclusive, and I agree with you though that both are
important.
2) I agree that some of the ideas of socialism have spread into democratic
countries, both through socio-economic competition and through memetic
transfer (good ideas are tried and tested lots of ways, and bad ideas
eventually die off).
3) In general, I believe the most advantageous opportunities for dynamic
advance are located around more successful models. The next big advance is
more likely to come from a culture that experiments with new angles of free
enterprise/democracy than with new versions of.... let's say....feudalism or
totalitarianism. Regardless though, I do agree that experimentation -- of
models and not just within models -- is essential.
4) I was intrigued by your point that many of the 'democratic' economic
success stories of the 20th century were fortuitous and not of free choice.
Germany, Japan and Taiwan for example. You make an interesting case for
forcing cultural change. (Don't worry, I know you don't intend this in a
malicious way). I think the IMF and other international agencies may share
some of this perspective.
5) I would offer that the cold war didn't just lead to the spread of free
enterprise and social advance, it also led to the spread of communism and the
propping up of puppet dictators. My guess is you agree with me here as well.
6) I would also like to add that many of the less successful countries that
you throw in as "Western Economic" are countries that have still failed to
reach pluralistic balance. They are exploited countries...exploited by
dictators, wealthy landowners, the military, socialist-model unions, other
countries, corrupt gangsters, etc. A healthy, balanced plurocracy needs to
control exploitative win/lose behavior to maximize social success. These
societies are slowly learning. I will offer that their standard of living
has gone up dramatically in the past 50 years even considering their failure
to piece together a first class economic/social template. Certainly I agree
with you that 'western democracy' is easier to pronounce than it is to
practice well. (For example, I have a hard time imagining Russia establishing
any successful version any time soon.)
7) I am not advocating leaving the social model wholly exposed to 'market
laws'. Not at all. I agree that society should learn the checks and balances
of government, free enterprise, good laws, social safety nets, liberals and
conservatives, environmentalists and land owners....... (you've read it b4).
Where we actually go astray is in the definition of the intellectual level.
What you are describing as the intellect leading society, I am categorizing
as society learning and evolving. You see , I disagree with the definition
of Magnus' that you offerred -- that an intellectual pattern is 'something
that has meaning'. I could go on extensively, and would like to, but it needs
to be next weekend if you are game.
Rog
PS -- The roots of this issue go back to the famous December of 98 donnybrook
where Jonathan challenged us whether there IS a separate intellectual level.
For the record, I joined his camp for about a week before striking out on
another tangent. (Do Italians know what 'Donnybrooks' are?)
PPS -- If something that has no meaning THAT different from something with no
value?
PPPS -- I forgot to say how much I enjoyed your "right to beauty."
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