Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: $Revision: 1.6.2.16 $; site inmet.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ucbvax!decvax!yale!inmet!nrh From: nrh@inmet.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: Re: Re: Newsflash! [JoSH on Socialis Message-ID: <28200103@inmet.UUCP> Date: Tue, 24-Sep-85 02:06:00 EDT Article-I.D.: inmet.28200103 Posted: Tue Sep 24 02:06:00 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 29-Sep-85 05:07:53 EDT References: <1674@dciem.UUCP> Lines: 24 Nf-ID: #R:dciem:-167400:inmet:28200103:000:1252 Nf-From: inmet!nrh Sep 24 02:06:00 1985 >/* Written 5:29 pm Sep 10, 1985 by mmt@dciem in inmet:net.politics.t */ >/* ---------- "Re: Re: Newsflash! [JoSH on Sociali" ---------- */ > >>"political reality" Isn't that an oxymoron? :-) Besides, government is not >>a source of wealth. Unlike uncles, government cannot generate wealth; it can >>give only what it takes from people who produce. > >That is false. Wealth is created by the re-organization of things >(the reduction of entropy, if you like). Government most definitely >can aid in such organization. Whether it is the most efficient way >of doing so is a different story, but to regard government as only >a transfer medium for existing wealth is like seeing a painting as >a transfer medium for oil and pigment. > Whoa! Let's have some historical examples please, of a government that CREATED wealth. Granted that governments seldom actually started out to destroy wealth, I've never heard of one that actually engaged in NET creation of wealth (such a government would not need to tax people, as it would turn a profit). Localized increase of wealth is no trick at all for a government, but to call this "creation of wealth" amounts to assuming that the money in the tax-collector's coffers just "appears from nowhere".