MD Inequities, Morality and The MOQ

From: Mark Steven Heyman (markheyman@infoproconsulting.com)
Date: Sun Nov 21 2004 - 04:13:41 GMT

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    Hi all,

    From a while back... so many posts, so little time...

    On 6 Nov 2004 at 8:31, Platt Holden wrote:

    msh wrote:

    > Modern Socialism is a reaction to the obvious inequities . . .

    platt:
    What's immoral about "inequities?"

    msh says:
    Inequities that result in one's inability to satisfy basic biological
    needs seriously impede and sometimes destroy one's opportunity for
    freedom. If such inequities are large enough between a vast majority
    and small minority within a social system, the social system is in
    danger of being destroyed if it does not either enforce the
    inequities with violence, or change in response to DQ to ameliorate
    the inequities. Since the violent solution is a rejection of the DQ
    solution, it is immoral; and therefore allowing inequities which may
    be ameliorated through DQ-inspired social action is also immoral.

    msh continued:
    >. . . caused by a
    > socio-economic system whose main premise seems to be: "It's
    > perfectly ok (moral) for one person to own everything."

    platt:
    The main premise is "It's OK for a person to keep what he has
    rightfully earned in a free market."

    msh says:
    I disagree. This is the premise that is claimed, but a little
    reflection on the workings of the so-called "free market" reveals
    that it is a game who's rules are written by the winners, for the
    benefit of the winners. Sort of like a chess tournament wherein
    every time you win a game, you get to start the next game with an
    extra pawn taken from your opponent. In such a system it's quite
    possible for one person, playing by the rules, to end up with
    everything.

    msh continued:
    > Progressive taxation is one
    > tool for undoing an injustice.

    platt:
    What's the injustice?

    msh says:
    See above...

    msh continued:
    My guess is... Set your system up right in the first place, maybe
    incorporating some of the Christian ideas quoted here and ideas from
    ParEcon (Participatory Economics), as well as John Rawls' Theory of
    Justice, and you'll be able to nip potential injustices in the bud.

    As usual, any thoughtful comments will be appreciated...

    Mark Steven Heyman (msh)
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