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Perhaps not a direct consequence of choice, though. Certainly whatever poltical and economic system we choose has implications for inequality, but it's not simp
by ellius 8y ago
Perhaps not a direct consequence of choice, though. Certainly whatever poltical and economic system we choose has implications for inequality, but it's not simply a matter of "we choose to have less inequality –> less inequality." Redistributive choices have complex interactions and results.
- _jal 8y agoRight. Intuitively, it is obvious that political choices impact inequality, as does perusing world data sorted by GINI coefficient, or even just a review of the US over time. I do find it darkly funny that so many folks seem to throw up their hands - it is obvious that inequality will always exist, so just live with however much we currently happen to have and shut up about it. (Inflation, however - we can totally micromanage that!) Humans have an innate sense of fairness that becomes offended at some point, and they start punishing even when doing so harms themselves. The peasants get restless at some point, the tumbrels come out, and there's your natural law in action.
- ellius 8y agoSure, people do that, but you're reading things into my post if you're implying that that attitude exists anywhere in it. I didn't say anything about throwing up our hands, and as far as I can tell neither does Sowell.
- _jal 8y agoApologies if I gave that impression - I wasn't trying to attribute that to you (or Sowell). Just riffing off your comment.
- golergka 8y agoSome people are more influenced by fairness. Some people are more influenced by their desire to compete and win. Both are built into humans. Don't judge the whole humanity by your personal temperament.
- _jal 8y agoIronic bit of advice there, given how personal you're making things. I'm talking about behavioral phenomena that's not even specific to humans. But since we seem to be advising each other, don't personalize things so much; the world's bigger than both of us.
- closeparen 8y agoWhat I mean by choice is that as long as people can make decisions that affect their outcomes, people will experience different outcomes.
- mpweiher 8y agoI read that less as "inequality is a choice", but rather as "if we allow choice, there will be inequality". So you can't easily choose to have less inequality, unless you also choose to eliminate almost all (other?) choice.
- closeparen 8y agoExactly what I meant. I mean, you could still permit some choices, but they couldn’t meaningfully influence outcomes.