On Sunday, October 21, 2001, at 08:27 PM, Steve Schear wrote:
At 10:02 PM 10/21/2001 -0700, Declan McCullagh wrote:
I'm actually surprised to see Steve launch into a critique of laissez-faire capitalism here on cypherpunks, of all places. One can admit that globalization has ill effects (mostly, bricks through windows of Starbucks thrown by bored, upper-middle-class, college-age protesters), certainly. But when responding to claims that factory workers in poorer countries are only being paid $2/hour or whatnot, it makes sense to ask: Is this worse than their other alternatives, like mud huts in villages?
Actually its not the wages, which may quite attractive for these workers and their skills, but the intimidation and occasional violence used to recruit and maintain employees, keep them from organizing and the government support or blind eyes which take me aback. It reminded me of the tyranny of the coal mining companies in West Virginia circa 1880's.
"Any employee of our Company is free to "organize." That day wlll be his last day. Good luck, and fuck you!" Free people are free to fire those who form communal organizations. Anyone who disagrees with this point has earned killing. Choose wisely, Steve Schear. --Tim May --Tim May "The State is the great fiction by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else." --Frederic Bastiat