Economic Bullshit (lunch conversation inspired)

Let me start off by saying that I have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm just venting.

One of the guys at work has some pretty interesting ideas on morals in business. He is educated in some sort of business. He firmly believes that maximizing prophets is the only concern of business and that all other concerns are immoral. Not amoral. Remember, I was not part of this conversation because I find it difficult to talk to this person and keep a straight face (as in not scowl).

One of the examples he had was the clean water conundrum. it costs money to have clean water. In parts of China for example there is running water, but you have to boil it before you drink, cook or clean with it. The argument goes that there is a balance between the cost of forced clean drinking watter, like in the U. S. and the cheaper boil it first or pay extra for clean water situation. A bunch of people didn't get that water is expensive to some people. The people here make enough to more than cover necessities. Clean water is a luxury to some people. The person presenting the issue didn't take in to account (that I could hear anyway) the cost of fuel to boil the water. He didn't take in to account the cost in time or illness on the availability of labor and the stress on infrastructure. Balance?

I insist that the free market is not self steering. Guidance is required at some point or the distance between those who have and those who have not will effect an abrupt redistribution (revolution). This is inevitable unless you 1) are willing and able to remove the lowest set of those who have not from your society periodically or 2) make sure those who have not have at least enough for the moment. I would suggest the health of the balance can be measured in the health of the class that has to maintain balance. In the States we call this the middle class. perhaps we can call them those who are trying to get.

The first choice above is usually characterized by a massive slaughter of people or forcing an entire segment of the society to leave the country. This is sometimes called ethnic cleansing or enforced immigration laws. Hits kind of close to home doesn't it? It sounds bad, but the approach works most of the time.

The second is characterized by a welfare state approach. This way works in the short term, but when those who have get fed up with carrying those who have not, things get rough for a while. This method sometimes precedes the first method.

I may have to start a new group called cant stands no more.