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I think governments are still more trustworthy than businesses, though. At least with governments you get to pretend that you elect people into office who have

by pluma 10y ago

I think governments are still more trustworthy than businesses, though. At least with governments you get to pretend that you elect people into office who have your interests at heart.

dschiptsov 10y ago
It seems that a government service originally was within that "natural" framework of division of labor (which exists even for non-human species). Defense and law enforcement and other necessary specializations are obvious examples. Cells has specializations which makes higher life forms possible. But as long as government employees start to form its own cast or a social class with higher social status than mere soldier, policeman, teacher or a civil servant the whole thing is being transformed into an ugly social hierarchy of corruption, greed and self-preservation, which is so common in the history of all nations and cultures.
- pluma 10y ago
  Oh, I'm not arguing governments are inherently and permanently trustworthy. I certainly wouldn't trust any government in existence right now. However in principle a government is tasked with overseeing the protection and prosperity of a group of people (its subjects) whereas a company is tasked with protecting the interests of its owners (e.g. investors). A company merely operates on its customers (or its users in the case of companies like Facebook where the users are the product, not customers). A government operates for its subjects. At least that's the general idea if you follow Thomas Hobbes, John Locke or Rousseau. I'm certain there are quite a number of governments around which disagree with this definition.
marknutter 10y ago
Neither are trustworthy and neither should be trusted implicitly. But to pretend that people can't have any effect on businesses like they can on government is just silly. Businesses can't tax the population. They rely on consumers buying their products and services, and if that doesn't happen they fail. People vote with their dollars all the time and businesses are forced to respond or die. The government has no such constraints and can continue forward with whatever terrible policies they want so long as they spend the majority of their time and effort securing re-election.

by pluma 10y ago

I think governments are still more trustworthy than businesses, though. At least with governments you get to pretend that you elect people into office who have your interests at heart.

dschiptsov 10y ago

It seems that a government service originally was within that "natural" framework of division of labor (which exists even for non-human species). Defense and law enforcement and other necessary specializations are obvious examples. Cells has specializations which makes higher life forms possible. But as long as government employees start to form its own cast or a social class with higher social status than mere soldier, policeman, teacher or a civil servant the whole thing is being transformed into an ugly social hierarchy of corruption, greed and self-preservation, which is so common in the history of all nations and cultures.

pluma 10y ago
Oh, I'm not arguing governments are inherently and permanently trustworthy. I certainly wouldn't trust any government in existence right now. However in principle a government is tasked with overseeing the protection and prosperity of a group of people (its subjects) whereas a company is tasked with protecting the interests of its owners (e.g. investors). A company merely operates on its customers (or its users in the case of companies like Facebook where the users are the product, not customers). A government operates for its subjects. At least that's the general idea if you follow Thomas Hobbes, John Locke or Rousseau. I'm certain there are quite a number of governments around which disagree with this definition.

marknutter 10y ago

Neither are trustworthy and neither should be trusted implicitly. But to pretend that people can't have any effect on businesses like they can on government is just silly. Businesses can't tax the population. They rely on consumers buying their products and services, and if that doesn't happen they fail. People vote with their dollars all the time and businesses are forced to respond or die. The government has no such constraints and can continue forward with whatever terrible policies they want so long as they spend the majority of their time and effort securing re-election.