Sunday, January 28, 2007
Winners & Losers
In the great game of politics, there are always winners and losers because government does not produce anything. It can only rob Peter to pay Paul.
Meanwhile, unlike the "robbery, war, and booty" of politics, every day billions of people interact peacefully in the marketplace, with each party to an exchange coming out a winner because he has exchanged something he valued less for something he valued more. As Mises put it, "The market economy involves peaceful cooperation. It bursts asunder when the citizens turn into warriors and, instead of exchanging commodities and services, fight one another." That is, of course, precisely what happens with government programs, where one group of citizens fights with another to see which group can steal more from the other.
read more | digg story
Meanwhile, unlike the "robbery, war, and booty" of politics, every day billions of people interact peacefully in the marketplace, with each party to an exchange coming out a winner because he has exchanged something he valued less for something he valued more. As Mises put it, "The market economy involves peaceful cooperation. It bursts asunder when the citizens turn into warriors and, instead of exchanging commodities and services, fight one another." That is, of course, precisely what happens with government programs, where one group of citizens fights with another to see which group can steal more from the other.
read more | digg story
