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From: orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Libertarianism & Luck
Message-ID: <428@whuxl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 15-Jan-85 09:54:46 EST
Article-I.D.: whuxl.428
Posted: Tue Jan 15 09:54:46 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Jan-85 05:29:02 EST
References: <272@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP> <547@ccice2.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs
Lines: 31

> 
> >At any rate, it is evident why Nozick is concerned to demonstrate that
> >market outcomes are just:  Nozick's minimal state is not allowed to
> >"correct" market outcomes by redistribution of wealth, even though, as Hayek
> >admits, market outcomes depend to a great extent on luck.  We thus see, not
> >for the last time, how the defense of the minimal state is linked to the
> >defense of capitalism.  
> 
> Ok, I have no problem with that statement. So what? Life is a bitch, and then
> you die -- and that's the good news. You aren't going to eliminate luck in
> peoples lives by any statist approach, the luck will just be who controls the
> state, and who dies under it.
> 
> Brad Miller
> -- 
> ...[rochester, cbrma, rlgvax, ritcv]!ccice5!ccice2!bwm

Is it really true that we can't reduce the role of luck in people's lives?
Then what is the whole point of buying insurance?  Obviously it is possible
to balance out the risks over a larger group of people and therefore
reduce the role of luck.   What may be random "luck" for the individual
may still be predictable using probability and the law of large numbers.
Why should a few people gain all the benefits of the economic system
and many other people sustain the losses?  Is there really anything wrong
with balancing out such benefits and losses to a certain extent?
Of course the major element of luck in any individuals whole life is
who she or he happens to be born to.  Why should those born rich be
able to go through their whole lives without working at all, while others
struggle just to make ends meet? This is fair? This is justice?
         
   tim sevener    whuxl!orb