On Feb 19, 1996 01:29:14, 'Alan Horowitz <alanh@infi.net>' wrote:

...

From: Anonymous <nobody@REPLAY.COM> Some economists have made a good case that slack enforcement of such rules may sometimes do little harm. Local firms benefit by acquiring pirated technology more cheaply than the real thing; consumers acquire affordable high-tech products and close copies of branded goods.

Yes, when Mr Anon travels to a beach in Jamaica or in Mombasa, he shouldn't complain when the taxi driver takes him, not to his requested destination, buit some dark alley where Mr Anon gets clunked over the head and his wallet removed. The locals need the money more than Mr rich-tourist-on-vacation Anon.

I haven't accepted the original argument that A. Horowitz critiques. However, there appears to be at least two errors in his counter argument. 1) Mr Anon is a real human being; the corporation is a legal fiction. Mr Anon has a real head; the corporation does not. Mr. Anon has suffered a real assault; the corporation has not. 2) Mr Anon has a real use for his money. The original argument was, I believe, that the tech etc. was appropriated in an area of the world where no one could afford it, etc. As in: I write a book. I get money for it in NYC where people buy it. I get mugged in NYC and my money is stolen. VERSUS Soneone in an area of the world where my book is not sold makes a xerox copy of the book. The crimes if crimes they be are not the same.

They're only doing socialist justice, after all.

Naturally, I expect all the members of the Libertarian Party and the non-LP libertarians who sent me e-mail and who posted to the list will post similar things about this fallacy in logic, won't you. (Note to T.C. May: This is not really sarcasm and not rhetorical hyperbole. It is more "wishful thinking" on my part.

Property is property. Theft is theft.

I believe the original quote from Proudhoun was "property is theft" but who is counting. On the other hand, "2 + 2 = 4" and if my aunt had wheels and ran down 5th Avenue she'd be a trolley. So what?