From: Arlo Bensinger (ajb102@psu.edu)
Date: Wed Jun 30 2004 - 17:15:05 BST
Thank you for this post with the MOQ textbook excerpts. This is exactly the
struggle I am having witnessing (what I feel are) valid criticisms of the
current economic situation in the USA, and finding a way to articulate
those criticisms within the MOQ. I certainly concur that a free-market
system is a morally superior system, however this said I find it important
to stress that this argument assumes that simply being grounded in
free-market theory makes an economy immune to criticism. Certainly, as you
state below, one can work towards a more equitable, democratic system
retaining the free-market but removing the corporate dominance and
imbalances inherent in our present situation. It is naive to think that the
current laws and socially structured system favor open, free access to the
marketplace.
Another assumption it makes is that the line between "capital" and "social"
oriented economies is a clear solid line. That is, to bring into the
dialogue the notion of regulated, equitable (or as Gav mentions in another
post) sustainable resources *in any manner* marks one as a threat to the
idea of a free-economy. I do not find this to be an either-or dilemma.
Consider the (perhaps banal) example of environmental regulations. The
capitalists would have us believe that removing all restrictions would
better the system as they would self-regulate and improve their production
from within. This "myth of corporate altruism" is bantered about frequently
but holds no historical example. In this situation, does having social
regulations on the ability of a corporation to pollute contradict or lessen
the free-market. I contend the answer is no, any more than having social
regulations on murder contradicts or lessens my individual freedom.
The problem with capitalism (in my opinion) is that it elevates "capital"
to the grandest target we struggle towards. The accumulation of wealth
becomes the noblest pursuit. Factories are closed by wealthy capitalists
seeking cheap slave labor in poorer countries oversees and across the
borders. No one questions the decisions of the capitalists to harm so many
individuals seeking better profit margins and shareholder value (instead,
oddly, we blame the citizenry of those countries). We reject universal
health care in this country primarily because providing medical services to
the unemployed cuts into our personal accumulation of wealth. In short,
anything done in the name of "accumulating capital" becomes unassailable
and understandable activity. What I favor, and I think is supported by the
MOQ, is a equitable and democratic free-market supported by a dialogue
centered on "doing Good" not "accumulating wealth".
I find it heartening that Pirsig makes the statement "an employee-owned
company is more moral than a privately owned company for the same reason
that a democracy is more moral than a dictatorship".
Again, thanks.
Arlo
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