Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: MadIvan
MadIvan, You rock! Such a cool article. A couple of points I think the article missed.

First, the heavy socialism in Europe and Japan, which prevents them from growing as fast as the US. Despite defense budgets 1/2 to 1/3 the size of the US's, their working populations are more heavily taxed. This is to support a parasitic government funded sector. It is the US's support of private property rights, and the view that taxes are an infringement on those rights, that has kept growth alive in the US.

Second, as we have seen the decline, of the authoritarian capitalist asian tigers. So shall we see, the decline of China. The secretiveness and corruption, of authoritarian regimes, isn't compatible with the transparency and stability, capitalism requires. Let me expand on that, to make a profit, a capitalist must calculate the costs and the risks. Without transparency and stability calculating the costs and risks can become impossible.

Third, if so many of the Islamic countries weren't sitting on a ocean of oil. Their culture, would have no more clout, than African culture. They are like Spain was with new world gold, when the oil's gone, the power is gone. Most OPEC countries are in hock, if a new economical source of portable power were found(cold fusion), they would all go bankrupt.

26 posted on 10/11/2001 1:35:38 AM PDT by Eagle74
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Eagle74
Yessireeee, wait for the oil to go and then they blow. Also I think Huntingdon was wrong on 3 counts:
Africa is not so cohesive and is in effect a myriad kalaedioscope of cultures.
Russia is more like the West and is our natural ally.
India too is becoming more and more like the west and is only getting pissed off when we support NON-DEMOCRATIC regimes like China and Pakistan against it.
28 posted on 10/11/2001 1:57:50 AM PDT by Cronos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

To: Eagle74
They are like Spain was with new world gold

. . . but unlikely to run out of it any time soon, it would appear. Cold fusion is, I fear, tin-foil hat stuff . . .

Excellent analysis generally.

46 posted on 10/11/2001 8:47:10 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson