Sir John James Cowperthwaite KBE CMG (郭伯偉爵士), (April 25, 1916 – January 21, 2006) was Financial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1961 to 1971. His introduction of free market economic policies were widely credited with turning postwar Hong Kong into a thriving global financial centre.
The question is, as Mark Steyn lined out in his brilliant article, "The Celtic canary in the UK's coal mine" (posted on this board on another thread), "the modern Scot is prepared to fight - or, at any rate, strike - but only for the right to die in his bed on a government pension.", will modern Scotland recognize Cowperthwaite as one of its own sons? Will it welcome another Cowperthwaite on the scene?
Scotland ping! A tribute to what modern Scotland has contributed to the world, although not in the sense traditionally understood by Americans - efficient and common-sense colonial civil servants for the British Empire.
I suggest everyone pick up the book, "HOW THE SCOTS INVENTED THE MODERN WORLD"
Great read
ping
Man, these viewpoints are music to my ears.
Look at our programs to help the "needy". Social Security has become a wealth transfer mechanims from working adults trying to build savings to what is now the wealthiest segment of the population. And I love what he says about tax relief on mortage interest - that in turn tends to polarize the difference between the more well-off and the less well-off. Likewise with our perverse tax policy that health insurance isn't tax if your employer provides it, but you are limited in your tax writeoffs if you have to buy your own insurance or pay for your own medical expenses out of pocket. Those are the kind of perversities you get when government dabbles in the economy, as Cowperthwaite realized.