Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:47 am
Not at all what?
Incidentally, being sensible, I'm not going to open those links at work - I have a feeling my decisions on where to work would be made up for me if my boss happened to look across and saw articles like that rather than my normal Dubstepforum
I'll take a look later on, but I'm guessing it's indirect effects of financial policy. As I've said numerous times - I strongly support tougher legislation to force banks to act correctly - if this ultimately requires full nationalisation so that they are under state control, then so be it - but I like to leave a bit of entrepreneurial drive in the economy - I think that human greed can be something useful for society as a whole - if correctly harnessed and controlled it can speed up technological progress and sharpens the imagination of goods and service providers.
The effect of the rise of global capitalism (say, since Robert Walpole's government) is really difficult to judge. It's quite arguable (which is why I have problems with the "YES MY OPINION IS DEFINITELY CORRECT" line on both sides) that overall, the people of the world are better off since capitalism - the states that have successfully industrialised (1st/2nd World) have been able to abolish an awful lot of the famine and disease that plagued them (up until the 20th Century in UK and Western Europe) and far more people are sustainable above the breadline. The UK hasn't had a civil war since capitalising it's economy - we had them or were on the verge of them *all the time* before Walpole.
Of course, the effects haven't been entirely fair and this needs ironing out... but, again, it's arguable that time and proper regulation of the redistribution of income will help solve these issues: We can see that a country like India, for so long subjugated by Imperial Britain has been able to lift itself up and up by competing in the global economy - they now have an enormous, outsourced service economy - which is absolutely brilliant (despite it competing directly with my personal interests!).
Tens of millions of people who would be living in subsistence economies are able to have a bit of the security that the globalised world offers.
Of course there are massive abuses and these need challenging and legislating against by the establishment and the people. A proper solution for Africa needs deciding on (and not at the level where we just throw cash at "Africa" as if it's one country - proper, organised plans are needed for all individual states and territories over the next century).
As for the example of Hong Kong from one of the libertarians above - you should probably remember that Hong Kong, as independent as it is, is also backed and controlled by the biggest and, arguably the most corrupt Communist state of all - it might not be your best example when extolling the virtues of ultra-capitalism! How about Singapore, instead? Singapore does well with it's free trade, as long as you don't mind living in a police state - remember, conservatives tend to be conservative all over - not just economically. Beware. Extreme Capitalism is as bad as extreme communism or, in fact, any extreme form of governance.
Incidentally, being sensible, I'm not going to open those links at work - I have a feeling my decisions on where to work would be made up for me if my boss happened to look across and saw articles like that rather than my normal Dubstepforum
The effect of the rise of global capitalism (say, since Robert Walpole's government) is really difficult to judge. It's quite arguable (which is why I have problems with the "YES MY OPINION IS DEFINITELY CORRECT" line on both sides) that overall, the people of the world are better off since capitalism - the states that have successfully industrialised (1st/2nd World) have been able to abolish an awful lot of the famine and disease that plagued them (up until the 20th Century in UK and Western Europe) and far more people are sustainable above the breadline. The UK hasn't had a civil war since capitalising it's economy - we had them or were on the verge of them *all the time* before Walpole.
Of course, the effects haven't been entirely fair and this needs ironing out... but, again, it's arguable that time and proper regulation of the redistribution of income will help solve these issues: We can see that a country like India, for so long subjugated by Imperial Britain has been able to lift itself up and up by competing in the global economy - they now have an enormous, outsourced service economy - which is absolutely brilliant (despite it competing directly with my personal interests!).
Tens of millions of people who would be living in subsistence economies are able to have a bit of the security that the globalised world offers.
Of course there are massive abuses and these need challenging and legislating against by the establishment and the people. A proper solution for Africa needs deciding on (and not at the level where we just throw cash at "Africa" as if it's one country - proper, organised plans are needed for all individual states and territories over the next century).
As for the example of Hong Kong from one of the libertarians above - you should probably remember that Hong Kong, as independent as it is, is also backed and controlled by the biggest and, arguably the most corrupt Communist state of all - it might not be your best example when extolling the virtues of ultra-capitalism! How about Singapore, instead? Singapore does well with it's free trade, as long as you don't mind living in a police state - remember, conservatives tend to be conservative all over - not just economically. Beware. Extreme Capitalism is as bad as extreme communism or, in fact, any extreme form of governance.

