The State of Affairs in Russia

[Valmy]

Government is always a better option than Giant Corporate enterprises.

One sort of complements the other though...

[Habbaku]

Government is always a better option than Giant Corporate enterprises.

Fortunately, those aren't the only choices.

[Grey Fox]

Government is always a better option than Giant Corporate enterprises.

Fortunately, those aren't the only choices.

Really? Around here, there's barely anything private that is small enterprises.

[MadImmortalMan]

Are you sure? Small businesses make up over 99% of employers in the US and more than half of GDP. It can't be so drastically different there.

[Razgovory]

Government is always a better option than Giant Corporate enterprises.

One sort of complements the other though...

I get a say in one, but not the other.

[Jacob]

+1.

I almost certainly disagree with you in many particulars about which choice is optimal in any given situation, but the basic foundation of what you are saying is accurate, especially the last sentence.

[Neil]

I actually wanted to mention "same as people pursuing communism" but decided against it. 

Ok so pure stateless libertarianism is impossible. We agree on that, and I have never advocated doing away with the state.

Doesn`t change the fact that "as little state as possible while staying effective" should be the prime guiding principle of any advanced society.

But that's just a baseless assertion.

[Tamas]

I actually wanted to mention "same as people pursuing communism" but decided against it. 

Ok so pure stateless libertarianism is impossible. We agree on that, and I have never advocated doing away with the state.

Doesn`t change the fact that "as little state as possible while staying effective" should be the prime guiding principle of any advanced society.

But that's just a baseless assertion.

it is not

[Sheilbh]

it is not

Of course it is. It's your ideological perspective that's all. It's no different than saying fairness should be the first goal in politics.

[The Brain]

Isn't that innocence?

[Admiral Yi]

Of course it is. It's your ideological perspective that's all. It's no different than saying fairness should be the first goal in politics.

Which means that fairness should be the first goal is a baseless assertion too. 

[Sheilbh]

Which means that fairness should be the first goal is a baseless assertion too. 

Obviously. It's an ideological position like any other.

[Admiral Yi]

Obviously. It's an ideological position like any other.

It's a statement of preference for economic efficiency coupled with the empirical observation that government, being by definition a monopoly, is not subject to competition.

"Obama is a Muslim" is a baseless assertion.

"I prefer whiskey neat" is not a baseless assertion.

[Valmy]

Government is always a better option than Giant Corporate enterprises.

One sort of complements the other though...

I get a say in one, but not the other.

True but my point was generally you get both.  Especially in this country where government officials and corporate board members are sometimes the same people.

[Sheilbh]

It's a statement of preference for economic efficiency coupled with the empirical observation that government, being by definition a monopoly, is not subject to competition.

"Obama is a Muslim" is a baseless assertion.

"I prefer whiskey neat" is not a baseless assertion.

Okay, I take your point though I'm not sure it's a hugely important distinction. This is still a baseless assertion:

Doesn`t change the fact that "as little state as possible while staying effective" should be the prime guiding principle of any advanced society.

It shouldn't necessarily be the prime guiding principle and it's not a fact.

True but my point was generally you get both.  Especially in this country where government officials and corporate board members are sometimes the same people.

I don't mind that as long as it's all transparent.