More people with more money to spend means a bigger market for whatever I'm selling. That's why Social Security is good. That's why markets are bigger in places

More people with more money to spend means a bigger market for whatever I'm selling. That's why Social Security is good. That's why markets are bigger in places with lots of Social Security-type programs (Europe, the U.S.) than in places without them (South America, Africa). Where to start? Sheesh. Markets are "bigger" in the US than South America because of social security? How on earth did you come up with that notion? Besides being completely upside down (viz, social security draws money from the free market) South America most certainly has its share of SS equivilents: http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/2006-2007/americas/ http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/2006-2007/amer...