Re: Re: Re: Re: RE: Query on slavery

[Michael Perelman <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ken, Friedman is especially clear on this.  If it weren't efficient, competition
would have eliminated it.

Your note would require that they modify their assumption to "everything that [I
like that] exists is efficient."

Ken Hanly wrote:

> I didn't realize that neo-classicals assume that what exists is efficient.
> Do you have a reference?
> If what exists is efficient then no existing system could be ineffecient.
> Therefore neo-classicals could not complain about the ineffeciency of the
> former Soviet System or any other existing system.
>
> Cheers, Ken Hanly
>
> > The basic ideological issue behind this efficiency is the neoclassical
> > assumption that what exists is efficient. Slavery existed and, so, it must
> have
> > been efficient (so say the neoclassicals). The concern of neoclassicals
> is, if
> > slavery existed and was not efficient, when then what does this say about
> > production within capitalism--it is not necessarily efficient?
> >
> >
> > Eric
> >
> >

--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx