Poverty, Disparity, Aristocracy, Liberty, etc.

["John Gelles" <jjgelles@xxxxxxxx>]

Re: Disparity            The issue I hope we can address is the value to the
            poor of the super-rich -- especially whether or not
            the elimination of poverty is best pursued (a) in the
            company of the super-rich or (b) in connection with
            removing wealth from the super-rich (by income tax
            or capital levy) and redistributing it to the poor and
            lower middle class.

            Perhaps Henry Liu and Ted Schmidt would say that
            choice "b" could, with favorable effect on individual
            liberty and the minimum material standard of living,
            take the nearly 40% of this nation's wealth, (which
            is, in fact, owned by one percent of the people) and
            distribute it to the bottom 40% of the population,
            especially to those truly in need.

            The above scholars would be the first to admit that
            the actual "things" owned by the top one percent
            are of little use to people;  it is the liquidated value
            of these things that would be used to buy oatmeal
            and build homes.  And a system to produce more
            oatmeal and homes would be relied on to actually
            raise the minimum material standard of living.

            That system might depend on individual economic
            power to do unconventional things. Things that
            giant corporations and public agencies will never
            do.


            How do we produce enough real things to end
            poverty and maintain both political liberty and
            economic freedom?  Some people think it can
            be done best in a society more level in wealth
            than the one we have.

            Others, like me, worry about a society where
            power can be concentrated in a few leaders and
            their police and clerks, but countervailing wealth
            cannot compete to balance the fist of politics with
            the magic of money.

            Still, the balance we already have has tolerated
            pollution and poverty. It is not working. It forces
            people into poverty and even the wealthy are
            economically insecure.

            So the reforms I seek focus hard on preventing
            poverty. They do not attack great disparity in
            ownership of assets per se. The owner may be
            the source of even greater production.

            Attack disparity in consumption? Yes.
            Tax personal consumption and luxury. Allow
            productive assets to remain tax-free in the
            hands of individuals, coops, corporations,
            and government owned producing units.

            Attack unfair trade by entrenched wealth?
            Yes.  Here the individual owner manager
            is usually just as bad as the manager for
            hire. Bust them both with time in jail for
            violations of anti-trust.

            Ignore the distribution of wealth. Pay
            attention to the distribution of personal
            luxury.

            Above all else, enact a bill of individual
            economic rights to prevent politicians or the
            rich from enslaving other people.

        John Gelles
         email    1944@xxxxxxxx
             url    http://1944.org