Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Paul Cory <pwcory AT mindspring.com>]

> My argument is not at all flawed.  I very simply state that we are a
> capitalistic society and we have a greater percentage of our society 
> living
> outside of the realm of poverty.

Not exactly. You stated that in an attempt to discredit the statement 
that "Capitalism, by it's very nature, concentrates wealth and power 
into the hands of a very few, and those few are loathe to give it up."

Your argument then, was:

America has a great percentage of its population living comfortably;
America is capitalist economy;
Therefore, capitalism does not naturally  concentrate wealth and power 
into the hands of the few.

And, in reply, I pointed out we don't live in a purely capitalistic 
economy. Our society, through government, actively works to ameliorate 
capitalism's tendency to concentrate wealth and power. This produces a 
mixed economy.

Thus, you cannot use America's general prosperity to undercut the 
statement that capitalism concentrates wealth and power because your 
second premise, that America is a capitalist economy, is not true.

Which brings me back to: your argument is flawed.

Unless, of course, you meant to imply a different argument. :-)

Paul

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>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > [mailto:internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf
> > Of Paul Cory
> > Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 12:52 AM
> > To: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> > Subject: Re: [internetworkers] from the desk of Arianna Huffington
> >
> > > > "Capitalism, by it's very nature, concentrates wealth and
> > power into
> > > > the hands of a very few, and those few are loathe to give it up."
> > > I'm dumbfounded by this statement.  Name one nation in this
> > world that
> > > has a greater percentage of its population >living< more
> > comfortably
> > > than American's do.
> >
> > Your argument is flawed, because America doesn't practice "pure"
> > capitalism. In this country, capitalism's tendency to
> > concentrate wealth and power has been reigned in by
> > government action: labor laws (minimum wage, overtime pay,
> > collective bargaining rights), antitrust laws, regulation of
> > monopolies (such as power companies), estate taxes, and a
> > progressive tax code that, combined with a welfare system for
> > the poor and elderly, redistributes wealth from the rich to
> > the less fortunate.
> >
> > Please also note that over the past 24 years, as the
> > Republicans have gained ascendancy, they have greatly
> > weakened government efforts in all the above areas.
> > Predictably, over the same period of time, wealth in this
> > country has become more greatly concentrated.
> >
> > Paul
> >
> > ---
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