From: merritt@macro.bu.edu (Sean Merritt)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.libertarian
Subject: Re: Ayn Rand(What yo gonna do?)
Date: 10 Dec 92 16:08:50 GMT
	<1g5khqINN943@armory.centerline.com>
	<1992Dec9.204432.20600@genie.slhs.udel.edu>
Organization: Boston University Physics Department
In-reply-to: rich@genie.slhs.udel.edu's message of 9 Dec 92 20:44:32 GMT


#In article <1992Dec9.204432.20600@genie.slhs.udel.edu> rich@genie.slhs.udel.edu (Rich Schwartzman) writes:



   In article <1g5khqINN943@armory.centerline.com> mrh@centerline.com (Mike Huben) writes:
   }In article <1992Dec8.231709.5708@samba.oit.unc.edu> bolden@beta.math.unc.edu
   }(Jeffrey Bolden) demonstrates that he isn't familiar with the story of
   }Jacob and Esau:
   }[Apropos the trade imbalance....]
   }>	Now if that weren't enough, what does Japan get in exchange for
   }>their goods?  Dollars.  What can they do with these dollars?  Buy
   }>American goods.  So in other words, it is important not to forget that
   }>currency is really just an abstracted bartering system, not some economic
   }>object in and of itself.
   }
   }Let's say you buy an ice cream cone from me for a dollar.  Then I buy a
   }fraction of your factory for that dollar.  Iterate.  After a while, you
   }will have consumed alot of ice cream cones and I will own the factory.
   }
   }Can you say "selling your birthright for a mess of pottage"?
   }
   }That's what's happened with the trade imbalance.  We've bought consumer goods,
   }and they've bought our companies, buildings, and real estate.
   }
   }Where do such incredibly stupid arguments as Jeff's come from?
   }
   }Mike Huben
   }
   }"... when people begin to philosophize they seem to think it necessary to make
   }themselves artificially stupid."  Bertrand Russell in "Theory of Knowledge".

#   If Americans had not been willing to sell companies, buildings, and real
#   estate then the Japanese could not have purchased them.

Sir are you or are you not a Libertarian? For the same  reason we  buy goods
from the best producer, we sell goods to the highest bidder. Should
nationalistic pride, hinder market forces?

The part about buying from the best producer was Leonard Peikoff's
point in the "Buy American is un-American." lecture I spoke of.

My strongest objections are that some American goods are now
just as good if not better(automobiles too) but people aren't
willing to give them a chance. Their consumer loyalty is 
stronger than objective reasoning. Second the Japanese have used
unfair non LF capitalism to take over entire markets, consumer
electronics for example. Now look at Ninetendo, they threatened
to shut-off distributors who would market AMERICAN compettiors
products. They got caught and they offer rebates in the form
of coupons that you can redeem form more Ninetendo products!

We have again gained a slight edge in semiconductors(world market)
Japanese manufacturer's still buy Japanese chips even though American
chips are cheaper and sometimes even have better performance.
(see Investor's Bus. Daily 9/12/92 front page story)

I still haven't managed to drag any of the Randian theoraticians
into the the real question at hand. When Ayn Rand wrote 
"Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal" she was attacking the forces
of collectivism and altruism she felt were eroding the strength
of American Capitalism. 

I would like to examine chapter 15 "Is Atlas Shrugging?"
Her main point is if hinder industrialist and the mover's
and shaker's with goverment controls and ethical concerns
for his fellow man and the enviroment, these Altlas
may "shrug" like the John Galt character from the her novel.

Let's take a cold hard look at the '80's

"I tried to create value." 

junk bond king Michel Miliken (he's getting out soon)  

We had a decent dose of LF capitalism under Regan and to
a lesser extent Bush. Quayle and his "competiveness council"
hacked and slashed at enviromental and altruistic goverment
controls.

The result: Atlas dropped the ball alright, but because
he was grabbing all the cash he could and not PRODUCING
much at all. People got richer on shuffling paper
and breaking companies apart and selling off the pieces.

Jobs? yes well as people have pointed out the Japanese
bought plants like Goodyear saved jobs and improved the workers
lot. The big three? Ford and Chrysler seemed to get the message
but GM thought they could just squeze workers and suppliers
and maintain the staus quo. Still I'd say that all three
companies are producing a better product.

I would invite all Libertarians and the Randians in particular
to read Lester Thurow's book Head to Head. Now I know
LT may not be a popular guy in these part but he puts forth
a cogent analysis. Capitalism is evolving my question is
America going to be left behind? 


-sjm


--
Sean J. Merritt		         | "Every revolt is a cry of innocence    
Dept of Physics Boston University|  and an appeal to the essence of being."
merritt@macro.bu.edu             | Albert Camus, The Rebel
Newsgroups: alt.politics.libertarian