Flame — HabitableZone

Flame » in reply to Re: Hair of the dog...

Capitalist crooks?
Tom Brosz — (archived)

That's a very astute theory, and very similar to something Ayn Rand came up with. However, your observational data needs a little work.

In a competitive free market, it's damn difficult for someone who cheats their customers to be profitable. Unless you're assuming that somehow nobody is ever going to figure it out. How often have you sworn never to go into a particular store again after a bad experience? You think that doesn't matter? How much money is Enron making right now? Did a few people get rich off it? Sure. A few might even get away with it. But a well-run business with its customers treated well makes money forever.

How rich is Sam Walton? Why?

It's fascinating how many liberals believe the first thing any businessman will do is try to figure out some crooked method of making money. Is this factual, or just the liberal mindset? Is that what you would do if you owned a business? Any other liberals on this board? Would you run an honest enterprise, or try to screw your customers and employees? Why or why not?

This may be just more of the "rich got that way by being evil" rationalization, but I don't know.

If you tally up ALL the businessmen in America, and figure out what percentage have been hauled up for white collar crime or other rotten dealings, or even accused of it, what do you think the percentage would be? How would it compare with other groups?

And I think it's already a matter of public record what sort of people thrive and prosper under a collectivist regime, as opposed to just managing to stay alive. Just take a look.

To place the unbroken century-long bloody history of communism under the phrase "anecdotal experience" probably sets a new record for understatement.

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