24 ms·

You can do that exactly once. Because after that - you won’t have any new startups, new companies, new wealthy people, nothing. Nobody will start any venture kn

by nickpp 2y ago

You can do that exactly once. Because after that - you won’t have any new startups, new companies, new wealthy people, nothing. Nobody will start any venture knowing the government is greedily waiting to confiscate it all. Investors will redirect their funds to friendlier jurisdictions. And entrepreneurs will go there too. One the reasons European entrepreneurs go to the USA to start startups is exactly because the USA did not try this kind of shenanigans, while their native countries did. As Margaret Thatcher said: “The problem with socialism is that at some point you run out of other people's money”.

mandmandam 2y ago
"There is no such thing as society." - Margaret Thatcher. Always odd when people quote Thatcher as if she was some kind of economic genius, rather than the architect of record unemployment, decline in manufacturing, record inequality and homelessness - all of which ought to sound familiar to Americans.
- nickpp 2y ago
  Socialism still failed everywhere it was tried while free markets are invariably lifting nations out of poverty. Mrs Thatcher was smart enough to recognize that, no matter what her other failings were.
  - mandmandam 2y ago
    It would be nice if people were more embarrassed at not knowing what the words they use actually mean. Countries with strong social safety nets, like Scandinavia, have some of the highest standards of living, longest life expectancies, and happiest populations in the world. That's Democratic socialism. Neoliberalism hasn't "lifted nations out of poverty", it's increased inequality and instability for decades. If you remove China from the stats this is startlingly clear - and China is hardly pure capitalism/a free market. And meanwhile, the planet is burning, we're losing species at extinction rates not far off asteroid levels, we've put plastic and PFAS into the entire biosphere making even rainwater unsafe to drink, etc. > Mrs Thatcher was smart enough to recognize that Thatcher increased poverty, unemployment, and inequality. Saying otherwise requires incredible delusion.
    - nickpp 2y ago
      > Scandinavia Which country exactly? Oil-rich Norway has about 5 million people and is basically a democratic Saudi Arabia. Sweden has more billionaires per capita than the USA - quite far from the egalitarian society socialists dream about. And they all have strong capitalist economies, with multinational corporations and such. > China China enjoyed unprecedented growth when they decided to allow capitalism and free markets. Conversely that growth slowed and problems starting to appear when scared of the entrepreneurs success, Xi decided to reign them in. Other A/B tests abound: Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, etc. My favorite is where I live, Eastern Europe. We were starving until we got rid of our socialist economies in the 90s and how we enjoy what is basically a luxury lifestyle: flights, cars, iPhones, city breaks and vacations in Greece. > planet is burning Do you think communist countries cared about the environment? They polluted even more. Read up on the Aral sea sometimes. Mao killed all the sparrows to such an extent they had to import new ones. Caring about nature is a luxury only rich people can afford. And only under capitalism people are allowed to create value and enrich themselves.
      - mandmandam 2y ago
        > Oil-rich Norway Who owns the oil Nick? > Sweden has more billionaires per capita than the USA - quite far from the egalitarian society socialists dream about. Sweden is regarded as one of the most egalitarian societies in the world. > China enjoyed unprecedented growth when they decided to allow capitalism and free markets Did the government retain significant control of the economy during that time? > Other A/B tests abound: Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, etc. All countries which have been the victim of horrific sanctions and interference by the US, lest they prove that socialism can actually work. > Caring about nature is a luxury only rich people can afford. And only under capitalism people are allowed to create value and enrich themselves. Lol, some people really just buy anything.. This is tiresome. Believe what you like.
        nickpp 2y ago
        > some people really just buy anything.. This is tiresome. Believe what you like. I actually lived under both systems so at least I can speak from my experience. I learned on my own skin which one I'd "buy". I am willing to bet you've never lived in any of those socialist paradises you admire. Give it a try please and then come back and give us economy lessons.

by nickpp 2y ago

mandmandam 2y ago

"There is no such thing as society." - Margaret Thatcher. Always odd when people quote Thatcher as if she was some kind of economic genius, rather than the architect of record unemployment, decline in manufacturing, record inequality and homelessness - all of which ought to sound familiar to Americans.

nickpp 2y ago
Socialism still failed everywhere it was tried while free markets are invariably lifting nations out of poverty. Mrs Thatcher was smart enough to recognize that, no matter what her other failings were.
- mandmandam 2y ago
  It would be nice if people were more embarrassed at not knowing what the words they use actually mean. Countries with strong social safety nets, like Scandinavia, have some of the highest standards of living, longest life expectancies, and happiest populations in the world. That's Democratic socialism. Neoliberalism hasn't "lifted nations out of poverty", it's increased inequality and instability for decades. If you remove China from the stats this is startlingly clear - and China is hardly pure capitalism/a free market. And meanwhile, the planet is burning, we're losing species at extinction rates not far off asteroid levels, we've put plastic and PFAS into the entire biosphere making even rainwater unsafe to drink, etc. > Mrs Thatcher was smart enough to recognize that Thatcher increased poverty, unemployment, and inequality. Saying otherwise requires incredible delusion.
  - nickpp 2y ago
    > Scandinavia Which country exactly? Oil-rich Norway has about 5 million people and is basically a democratic Saudi Arabia. Sweden has more billionaires per capita than the USA - quite far from the egalitarian society socialists dream about. And they all have strong capitalist economies, with multinational corporations and such. > China China enjoyed unprecedented growth when they decided to allow capitalism and free markets. Conversely that growth slowed and problems starting to appear when scared of the entrepreneurs success, Xi decided to reign them in. Other A/B tests abound: Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, etc. My favorite is where I live, Eastern Europe. We were starving until we got rid of our socialist economies in the 90s and how we enjoy what is basically a luxury lifestyle: flights, cars, iPhones, city breaks and vacations in Greece. > planet is burning Do you think communist countries cared about the environment? They polluted even more. Read up on the Aral sea sometimes. Mao killed all the sparrows to such an extent they had to import new ones. Caring about nature is a luxury only rich people can afford. And only under capitalism people are allowed to create value and enrich themselves.
    - mandmandam 2y ago
      > Oil-rich Norway Who owns the oil Nick? > Sweden has more billionaires per capita than the USA - quite far from the egalitarian society socialists dream about. Sweden is regarded as one of the most egalitarian societies in the world. > China enjoyed unprecedented growth when they decided to allow capitalism and free markets Did the government retain significant control of the economy during that time? > Other A/B tests abound: Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, etc. All countries which have been the victim of horrific sanctions and interference by the US, lest they prove that socialism can actually work. > Caring about nature is a luxury only rich people can afford. And only under capitalism people are allowed to create value and enrich themselves. Lol, some people really just buy anything.. This is tiresome. Believe what you like.
      - nickpp 2y ago
        > some people really just buy anything.. This is tiresome. Believe what you like. I actually lived under both systems so at least I can speak from my experience. I learned on my own skin which one I'd "buy". I am willing to bet you've never lived in any of those socialist paradises you admire. Give it a try please and then come back and give us economy lessons.