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Originally Posted by Jerrek
Europe used to be free market, but has steadily drifted towards socialism and planned economies. What you have right now is semi-capitalism with a touch (ok more than a touch...) of planned economies. Planned economies do not work. Just compare East Germany to West Germany. North Korea to South Korea. Hong Kong and Republic of China to People's Republic of China.
Why is it that you advocate restriction of fundamental liberties and freedoms when you walk through the door into a factory or business? Who are you to tell another company how to run itself? Who are you to force companies to go into certain directions, or to prevent companies from expanding into certain fields?
I'm sure you would object if all your personal actions were to be reviewed and planned by a higher authority. Your life just wouldn't work out. The same can be said for corporations and businesses. The economies of the above-mentioned countries are prime example of what planned economies end up with.
The United States' GDP per capita is $37,000. The quasi-free economies of western Europe can't even reach $30,000 except for a few single exceptions. The former planned economies of eastern Europe is even worse. China's GDP per capita is below $4,000.
So no, planned economies do not work, and Europe is drifting steadily over to the left that advocate exactly that. Restricting a company's freedom to innovate is a bad idea. Luckily, the United States is still around so even if you restrict innovation, research, development, and entrepeneurship, you can still marginally reap the benefits of American ingeniuty and innovation.
See here: http://www.time.com/time/europe/maga...574849,00.html |
Europe gain it's dominance by controlling markets and limiting imports. The USA did the same. One you have a position of dominance (by limiting imports) you then cry for free markets, becasue you have dominance and you know if others protect their markets they may be able to catch up with that dominance.
Just look at Japan and the 'asian tigers' and compare them with brazil. Japan and the asian tigers built their economies from third world to first world by controlling markets. South america followed the doctrine of free markets (imposed by US and Europe) and they are f*cked.
If you believe in free markets then presumably you have written to your president to object to the tarrifs imposed on foreign steel imports?
If you read Adam Smiths writtings on the free market (the father of free market ideas), then he is totaly clear that free markets require free movement of labour. So are you going to open the border with Mexico and allow a free market in labour as well? I think not. Free markets is a 'do as we say not as we do' rant from those at the top of the heap, designed specifically to keep them at the top of the heap. It is the primary mechaism by which powers like the USA maintain their power. It has nothing to do with 'freedom'. It's about dominace.