On Thu, 12 Sep 1996, Perry E. Metzger wrote:

Yes, we could be a workers paradise like one of those lovely European countries with double digit unemployment and all. Too bad we didn't go in for democratic socialism while we could have, eh?

If I were an unskilled person I would rather live in one of these countries where I would be paid approximately the same for doing nothing as for selling burgers at Mac Donalds. The low rate of unemployment in the US is partly due to the creation of service jobs with a salary that would be 'illegal' according to European union agreements. Now, the situation is that I have some wanted skills and pay a lot of taxes to support those who have none, and who are not permitted to work for lower than minimum wages. From a pure egotistical viewpoint I really should join the present calls for, as the debate goes here in Sweden, transforming the enemployed into 'maids and servants'. But I don't. I think it would backlash; the 'lower classes' would come back at us and cut our throats eventually (say, when 70% are serving the remaining 30%). With the present rate of increase in world population the planet will go to hell anyway. But suppose the population problem could be fixed. Then, with technology escalating towards singularity, machines doing almost all labor, there could certainly exist a system where the 'dumb' and 'lazy' could be fed and housed properly without anybody complaining. Those who want to become maids and servants for some extra pocket money, well, good luck to them. But to force people into menial service jobs just to literally survive is not to my taste. No, give them minimal shelter for nothing and from there on let the market anarcho-capitalistic struggle begin, for obtaining a higher than minimum material standard or reputational standing. But I get as angry as any libertarian when my tax money goes to subsidizing obsolete eduction, 'culture' and endless hordes of bureaucrats, when all we need is some basic police, courts and the Minimal Ministry for Collection of Taxes (probably based on production of some physical goods rather than income) for Redistribution to the Police, Courts and Everyone - yes, of course everyone should receive the minimal support-without- work and be able to rise from there. Asgaard P.S. Mac Donalds could easily be replaced by a bot.

Work for the competition, or start your own company.

Easy enough for you or me who can charge the minimum wage rate for an hour for a period more like a minute. The point is that Perry was making an appeal to "fairness" in which the cause of the unfairness is pretty much immaterial. If you believe that Digitronics has the right to behave as described then why don't they have the right to draw up lists of suspicious people. We've seen libertopia - its the world of Neuromancer or Bladerunner. When I described it "Medieval" on a talk show recently, William Gibson responded with the term "Reaganite". Being opposed to government slavery isn't enough. Coorporate slavery is just as bad. Unless people are enfranchised ecconmically as well as politically the political liberties don't matter much. I'm quite happy to allow Bill G. the run of the Internet because if he becomes too powerful and becomes a threat to society itself I don't mind the used of government power to break up a monopoly. On the other hand various people on this list get tied up in knots trying to have it both ways, to be pro-coorporatism in general but anti the kind of coorporatism that they don't like. I am on an SPL that is run by an organisation called the "Ecconomic League". It is an organisation run by the UK Conservative party which keeps lists of "unsafe" employees. Of course the list is available for government repression as well if they choose - except that few would give it any credibility. In November 55 odd percent of the population will vote for Clinton who is not an opponent of government. About 35% will vote for Dole who is even more pro-government having spent his time in the Sentate getting favours for friends like Archer-Daniels-Midland. Most of the remainder will vote for Dole appart from an insignificant number that will vote for the Libertarian and Green candidates. If you insist on such a selective interpretation of rights you will continue to be ineffective since the Libertarian party cannot get anywhere under the US electoral system and the Republican party is at present controlled by the control freaks of the Christian Coalition. If on the other hand you ditch the ecconomic rhetoric you can be very influential on the left because they are looking for ways to capture traditional republican positions. With the Republicans proposing seven consitutional ammendments in their platform that leaves open an opportunity for the Democrats to step in as the protectors of the constitution. If someone can work out a way of squaring the Freeh situation you can basically write the platform for Gore's campaign in 2000. Phill