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Re: crypto anarchy vs AP
At 11:26 AM 9/23/96 -0700, Clint Barnett wrote:
>>to create the appearance of as free a life style as they can for
>>individuals
>
>ever read "1984"? the appearance of a free lifestyle is most definitely
>not a free lifestyle. I am hardly a friend of the state, and far from
>being an advocate of the church, but multinational corporations running
>the world for their own fun and profit makes my sphincter clench.
I think you're under a mis-impression here. At least in the libertarian
circles where I do most of my political discussion, it is generally
suspected that corporations grow large and powerful primarily BECAUSE OF
assistance by and due to the policies of government. (heavy regulation
favors large companies by keeping down small competitors, etc) Of course,
that cause/effect relationship is intentionally hidden, and most of the
public sees the show put on which appears to have the opposite effect:
Anti-trust lawsuits, etc.
Over time, the public is gulled into the false belief that if you get rid of
the government, you get rid of the "only think that stands between us and
the multi-national corporations." They believe this because the only
government actions they see and recognize are anti-corporation. If they
were aware of the truth, they'd realize that these large corporations are
actually afraid of a free market, and that the companies consider big
government to be their friends..
Just look at an excellent example: Intel versus IBM. Intel used to be this
tiny upstart chip company from the Bay area and IBM was smokestack America.
Now, Intel is the biggest (by dollar volume, anyway) chip company in the
world and IBM is, well, considerably cut back from its heyday. At least in
hindsight, IBM would have been "smart" to squash Intel, or buy it up, or
have the government over-regulate it.
Jim Bell
[email protected]