From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!cires!harkins Newsgroups: net.politics Title: socialism Article-I.D.: cires.1993 Posted: Wed Feb 23 10:55:03 1983 Received: Thu Feb 24 02:06:59 1983 i claim that the problem with socialism, within whichever other *ism context, has a problem because it wants to change that fundamental part of humanity: self-interest; if there is no incentive to innovate, or excel, in a situation where all such "good results" are absorbed by a state pool, then people tend to become apathetic; from the other side, if one knows that one will be taken care of regardless of their own industry, diligence,etc., then, again a lack of interest in "work" and its results will follow; i would then claim that that becomes a doubly negative vicious circle, and that is, in short, why socialism tends to be unproductive: no incentive for anybody ernie harkins ps: glad to see a new topic