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To: justshutupandtakeit
No because of the inability to run economic experiments. Thus conclusions drawn after the fact are not very dependable.

It has been tried in myriad conditions, everything from American-style freedom to totalitarianism. It has never worked. At some point, a reasonable person would indicate that sufficient data exists with diverse enough initial conditions that they would declare it a failure.

Of course, requiring experimental data is a denial of other verification methodologies. People like test data because it's real but in cases where it's impossible to retrieve meaningful test data on an independent variable, inspection, demonstration, and analysis suffice to demonstrate the point. In this case, inspection and analysis suffice, since interjection of a third party cannot possibly come at zero cost.

Of course then, there is always a religious argument based on first principles: Any system controlled by a few power-elite subject to the evils of human nature is by definition rife with corruption. As you stated in a previous argument, it's beyond mortal control. You can curse God for making us that way (a practice I do not recommend), or admit that Hamilton was a man, and could not possibly have done what you ascribe him.

1,777 posted on 11/30/2004 10:02:59 AM PST by Gianni
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To: Gianni

Hamilton not only did what I ascribe to him but much more so much more that his enemies called him a "colossus" and a "host within himself."


1,800 posted on 11/30/2004 3:03:36 PM PST by justshutupandtakeit (Public Enemy #1, the RATmedia.)
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To: Gianni

You continue to neglect the fact that the shape of the American economy at independence was not the result of market forces but of Imperial policy. We were established to be a resource to be exploited and the policy of Hamilton was to re=shape that shape into a modern economy capable of achieving economic independence with regard to key industries. Most economic studies assume away this political background and that limits their applicability to real life.

Hamilton's policy was to use the tariff revenue from the British exports to foster the industry to compete with British manufacturers and help create a real nation rather than a collection of British dependencies whose economies were controlled by Britain. Creation and strengthening the Union was his magnificent goal, a political goal which made the economy secondary, and achievement earning his place among the Immortals.


1,818 posted on 11/30/2004 8:15:25 PM PST by justshutupandtakeit (Public Enemy #1, the RATmedia.)
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