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From: tomr@drilex.UUCP (Tom Revay)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: The Impact of Inventions
Message-ID: <2173@hplabsc.HP.COM>
Date: Mon, 6-Jul-87 17:12:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: hplabsc.2173
Posted: Mon Jul  6 17:12:32 1987
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> The mistake philosophers and politicians make over and over
> is to arrogantly believe that their consciousness is powerful enough to
> firmly grasp and control all aspects of a society.  (Look at our
> overcontrolled economy and the nasty cycles that result from economic
> oversteering.

Just to point out:  the cycles were MUCH worse in the 19th century.
Some panics were precipitated by erratic actions of government on the
economy (Panic of 1819 from the demand for taxes to be paid in gold,
also Jackson's famous specie circular in 1836, leading to another
panic), but some of the high-amplitude cycles of the 1880's & 1890's
were precipitated by the lack of currency in the market, the paper money
being closely tied to gold.  This was a major complaint of the Free
Silver party, and the farmers interests.  The point being: economic
oversteering isn't good, but there is an important role for government
in smoothing out economic cycles, and since the '30's, the cycles have
been smoother, by historical standards.

> Look at the record of failure of communist central planning.

Yeah, just look.  Pretty appalling.  The socialist philosopy sounds good
until you see that socialism doesn't seem to produce healthy economies,
at least not on any scale.

> What is needed is a change in the environment that will cause society
> to evolve naturally into a 'better' organism...

Although I think you're in danger of falling into your own
"oversteering" category when you start talking about selective taxes to
eliminate certain types of behavior, I agree with your suggestions
wholeheartedly.  But remember:  "The power to tax involves the power to
destroy," a double edge sword, indeed!

 ..............................Tom