NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #16/NN_1992_16.iso/spool/sci/econ/6509

Internet Message Format | 1992-07-22 | 2.5 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!centerline!noc.near.net!nic.umass.edu!dime!chelm.cs.umass.edu!yodaiken
From: [e-mail] (victor yodaiken)
Newsgroups: sci.econ
Subject: Re: Re: The Moral Basis of Property   was Libertarian history
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 22 Jul 92 15:48:39 GMT
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail]
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Lines: 45

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Graham Flower) writes:
>>
>>Many people were trying to justify
>>private property on the basis of morality and on the basis of
>>some economic formulation showing how ya gotta have private
>>property or no one will work (suddenly, apparently, nobody gets
>>hungry). I argued that the ONLY justification for p-p was
>>by the use of force (ie I am taking this and I will fight to
>>keep it from you, etc.)
>>
>
>   It is worth noting that we live in a country where private property
>   is heavily written into the constitution by our founding fathers.
>   The record is clear that property rights were a subject of great concern
>   for them. This being a founding principle of the land I dont feel it
>   needs more justification.

Rationality and human rights were certainly held as more important
principles by the writers of the US constitution, and blind reverence
for the past was not highly valued by them.

>   It also appears clear that socialism has been something less than a
>   rousing success. Very significant movement has occurred in the last 5
>   years away from socialist concepts by countries which had adopted them.
>   The Soviet Union being the classic example, eastern europe also, Sweden,
>   Great Britain and numerous others have moved in directions away from
>   socialism. It is curious that many would like to adopt policies which
>   have clearly failed those who have previously adopted them. I ascribe it
>   to some level of lack of awareness and the power of the appeal for
>   Utopia. I mean who is gonna be against Utopia, not me. The question is
>   can it be achieved.

As Joe Slovo, longtime head of the South African Communist Party, pointed
out, the record of capitalism is not so damn wonderful either. The
interesting question is why a system which has made it profitable to
tear holes in the ozone layer in the cause of selling air-conditioners
should be considered to be the best way of organizing human society or even
a viable way of organizing human society.


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