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Friday, November 18, 2005

Capitalism is gone!

The left often argues that the days of capitalism are past and that more and more people see the glory and humane efficiency of socialism. This, the near-collapse of capitalism, has never happened. True, voters in many liberal democracies have used their votes to increase taxes and so on - but exactly this anti-market behavior, based on ignorance and blind faith, has jeopardized the state of the western world.

Here are the most economically liberal countries today (according to The Heritage Foundation and Fraser Institute):

(Hong Kong), Singapore, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Australia.

Compare these relatively liberal economies to France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. In these European countries the labor markets are less dynamic and the government sets more rules and regulations. Unemployment rate stands at almost 10% or above it and GDP growth is, on average, weaker than that of the liberal democracies mentioned above.

Even the Scandinavian welfare system suffered during the last decade. Some social services had to be cut, unemployment rates increased dramatically and the strong economic growth of the 80's stopped (although there were various reasons for that). The purchasing power in Scandinavia is relatively weaker than elsewhere in the western world. In the state of New Hamsphire alone people make more than twice the amount of money that people make here.

Some days ago a socialist weblog, Kampanja, reported that 2/3 of the French oppose Capitalism. How can this be? The country is practically in ruins because of social programs, inefficient anti-market legislations and protectionism. Yet they have invented to blame capitalism for the fundamental flaws of socialism. France is one of the LEAST free liberal democracies in the world.

What the French should do now is to get familiar with what happened in Australia and New Zealand. A taste of socialism and government control almost ruined the two countries during the 80's. The medicine was liberalisation and it worked - now both countries enjoy a relatively strong economic growth and low unemployment rates.

Eastern Europe shows the same pattern. Most liberal ones, such as Estonia and Poland (and soon - even Romania, a country that has achieved a lot just during the past 2-3 years as a result of liberalisation, driven by their will to join the EU), are a lot more stable than oppressive countries such as Russia (ranked 115th by the Fraser Institute), Belarus and the Balkans.

So it's not capitalism that's gone. Our problems are caused by those who don't stand up for capitalism. Socialism (the expansion of government's control over people) creates problems - capitalism solves them.

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Saturday, November 12, 2005

Idiotism 1 - Reason 0

"This could only happen in America"-stuff ahead.

Kansas state Board of Education voted to include Intelligent Design (Creationism in disguise) into public school curriculums. It'll be taught alongside evolution - in science classes. Indeed - this stuff is actually happening in 2005.

This is an insult toward all the scientists who have been persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and taunted by Christians during the last two thousand years. Christians would like to make you believe that ID-theorists are scientists too and that they're the ones who're being persecuted. "Professional Idiot" would be a much better job description. And yes - they're being persecuted - for a very good reason.

In America, state school board members seem to think that school curriculums are popularity contests. Science becomes a popularity contest, school subjects are chosen by their popularity. And who gets to decide? A pack of apes. These board members don't even have to be qualified for the job - just promote the right king of values and you'll get your ticked to the board.

But let's not throw all our hope away just yet. Kansas has been acting like a baby before:

"In 1999, the board deleted most references to evolution in the science standards, making the state an object of international ridicule." (link)

The board was later pressured to reverse their anti-evolution behavior. Also - now it seems that Intelligent Design is not a particularly popular way to pursue political ambitions. This is what happened in Dover, Pennsylvania (another ID hotspot) just a few days ago:

"All eight Dover, Pa., school board members up for re-election were defeated Tuesday after trying to introduce "intelligent design" — the belief that the universe is so complex that it must have been created by a higher power — as an alternative to the theory of evolution." (link)

"All eight members up for re-election to the Pennsylvania school board that had been sued for introducing the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in biology class were swept out of office yesterday by a slate of challengers who campaigned against the intelligent design policy." (Ny Times)

Pat Robertson, who's fairly considered to be a Christian version of the Taleban, had this to say about Dover:

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God. You just rejected him from your city,"

I've talked about this before but let's get this thing straight once again: Intelligent Design is only for people whose level of intelligence is too low to understand evolution, or, are in some other way too weak to let go of certain irrational religious beliefs.

"This is a sad day. We're becoming a laughingstock of not only the nation, but of the world, and I hate that." -Janet Waugh

More good pro-evolution, pro-science and pro-reason stuff at Pharyngula.org.












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