Are You A Capitalist?

[reverse]

Idea!

 

Imagine a really small tribe cut off from the rest of the world on a tropical island of some sort.

 

Would it be reasonable to assume that in this situation, wealth and its relationship to a group could be clearly defined?

I mean it seems like a simple situation to consider.

( has doubts)

and therefore that nature of capitalism could also be defined?

 

 

 

So what have we got.

What basic divisions of labour.

 

A chief,

a Magic man.

Hunters,

Gatherers,

dependants (formerly know as children).

 

Where is wealth in this picture.

[Tetrahedrite]

Individual Australian wealth has grown 80% in the last three years.

 

Two thirds of that is in the value of their housing.

 

On the down side' date=' their trade deficit as never been worse.

 

Seems to me that if you live in a house it doesn’t matter what it’s worth.

Not at least till you sell it, and then where will you live?

 

Maybe a tiny monkey will swing by for a comment.[/quote']

It's all well and good if you already own a house, but if your like me and don't own property, your rooted. In some areas in Sydney housing prices have risen by 50% in the last three years. My pay has risen by 3.2% in the last three years. It doesn't compute!

 

Australians are now in all-time record levels of debt. They have to do this to afford to buy a house. The interest rate (which is around 7.5% here) rose yesterday. This will put a hard squeeze on those with enormous debts. Health insurance premiums rose by 8% yesterday. Growth in the economy has slowed to an absolute crawl. Our current account deficit has risen to an all time high of 7.3% of GDP (dangerously high). And worst of all we have a dishonest, insensitive and ruthless, conservative government who want to take us back to the 50's, or turn us into the 51st state of America.

 

Yep, everything's looking up for us youngin's in Australia.

 

(As you can probably tell I'm slightly pis**d off with Australia's current position )

[Tetrahedrite]

Idea!

 

Imagine a really small tribe cut off from the rest of the world on a tropical island of some sort.

 

Would it be reasonable to assume that in this situation' date=' wealth and its relationship to a group could be clearly defined?

I mean it seems like a simple situation to consider.

( has doubts)

and therefore that nature of capitalism could also be defined?

 

 

 

So what have we got.

What basic divisions of labour.

 

A chief,

a Magic man.

Hunters,

Gatherers,

dependants (formerly know as children).

 

Where is wealth in this picture.[/quote']

Australian aboriginees were able to live quite happily in their tribes doing only three hours a day hunting/gathering etc. No wealth required. Puts us to shame really.

[Sayonara]

A chief' date='

a Magic man.

Hunters,

Gatherers,

dependants (formerly know as children).

 

Where is wealth in this picture.[/quote']

I don't know what experience you have with such things, but it's usually sitting with the chief and the magic man.

[syntax252]

Seems to me that if you live in a house it doesn’t matter what it’s worth.

Not at least till you sell it' date=' and then where will you live?

 

[/quote']

 

You got that right.

 

Actually it is worse, because the more the value of the house, the higher are the taxes.

[Sayonara]

You got that right.

 

Actually it is worse' date=' because the more the value of the house, the higher are the taxes. [/quote']

Whatever you do, don't get atinymonkey started on house prices

[syntax252]

Idea!

 

Imagine a really small tribe cut off from the rest of the world on a tropical island of some sort.

 

Would it be reasonable to assume that in this situation' date=' wealth and its relationship to a group could be clearly defined?

I mean it seems like a simple situation to consider.

( has doubts)

and therefore that nature of capitalism could also be defined?

 

 

 

So what have we got.

What basic divisions of labour.

 

A chief,

a Magic man.

Hunters,

Gatherers,

dependants (formerly know as children).

 

Where is wealth in this picture.[/quote']

 

According to what I have read, there were also people in these primitive cultures who made tools such as spear heads and such.

 

I think there was a hirearchy among the primitives, and I think that what passed for wealth (trinkets and status) went with it. The head man, was of course, the head man. The Mojo, or the witch doctor was feared and treated special because everyone depended on him to ward off evil spirits (sound familiar?) Then the hunters had their own pecking order, with the elders being the most experienced at the top and the younger one's places being established according to their strength and their bravery.

 

So, I really don't think that it was all that much different that what we have now, except that in todays world being good on a computer is valued more than being good with a spear.

[syntax252]

It's all well and good if you already own a house' date=' but if your like me and don't own property, your rooted. In some areas in Sydney housing prices have risen by 50% in the last three years. My pay has risen by 3.2% in the last three years. It doesn't compute!

 

Australians are now in all-time record levels of debt. They have to do this to afford to buy a house. The interest rate (which is around 7.5% here) rose yesterday. This will put a hard squeeze on those with enormous debts. Health insurance premiums rose by 8% yesterday. Growth in the economy has slowed to an absolute crawl. Our current account deficit has risen to an all time high of 7.3% of GDP (dangerously high). And worst of all we have a dishonest, insensitive and ruthless, conservative government who want to take us back to the 50's, or turn us into the 51st state of America.

 

Yep, everything's looking up for us youngin's in Australia.

 

(As you can probably tell I'm slightly pis**d off with Australia's current position )[/quote']

 

Austrailia as our 51st state?

 

Now there is an idea that I could get used to.

 

Tell me old chap, how would you like to get your gun rights back? Wanna join the NRA?

[Sayonara]

Austrailia as our 51st state?

You'll have to fight the Queen for them. She won't go down easily.

[syntax252]

You'll have to fight the Queen for them. She won't go down easily.

 

Austrailia is not independent of the UK?

 

I am surprised by that. Canada has, as I understand it, been independent for over 100 years. Since sometime around the 1860s or so?

 

In any event, as appealing as Austrailia would be as a state, I suppose we should start with Mexico, they being next door neighbors and all....

[Pangloss]

Nah, Canada's already the 51st state (and a blue one at that).

 

(runs for cover--just kidding!)

[Sayonara]

Austrailia is not independent of the UK?

I think they are independent but afaik they are a Commonwealth nation, and Lizzie heads the Commonwealth.

[syntax252]

I think they are independent but afaik they are a Commonwealth nation, and Lizzie heads the Commonwealth.

 

So they are "independent" but that can't do as they choose?

 

What you bloaks need is a writtin constitution.

[atinymonkey]

The Commonwealth is a voluntarily association of independant states sharing dependancies, trade, military resources, democracy and methods of governance. The countrys in the British commonwealth are autonomous but pledge allegance to the Crown.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth

[syntax252]

The Commonwealth is a voluntarily association of independant states sharing dependancies' date=' trade, military resources, democracy and methods of governance. The countrys in the British commonwealth are autonomous but pledge allegance to the Crown.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth[/quote']

 

Interesting.

 

So, I guess we will have to settle for Mexico? We do get a lot of oil from there.

[Sayonara]

So they are "independent" but that can't do as they choose?

What I meant was that Queen Lizzo will probably fight to keep them in the Commonwealth. Kapow! Royal Rumble.

[syntax252]

What I meant was that Queen Lizzo will probably fight to keep them in the Commonwealth. Kapow! Royal Rumble.

 

Well we wouldn't wanna upset the Queen, you Brits might get to thinking we Yanks ain't civilized.

[john5746]

Puerto Rico, then Iraq.

[reverse]

So, I guess we will have to settle for Mexico? We do get a lot of oil from there.

 

and labour at under market rates. because of...say it with me now.....cultural value variance.

 

I think I'm getting the idea what capitalism really is .

but don’t grill me on it just yet, it's still in it's primordial stages.

[reverse]

Well we wouldn't wanna upset the Queen, you Brits might get to thinking we Yanks ain't civilized.

 

Me thinks distance will mean that a common governance between US and AUS will not be advantageous to either place.

Can you honestly say that you want your tax dollars spent on the far side of the planet.

Now Hawaii is a cool place to have because it's a great place to holiday and a nice tidy little outpost for other things.

[reverse]

Quate syntax:

According to what I have read, there were also people in these primitive cultures who made tools such as spear heads and such

 

 

 

 

Yes , on the money as usual.

 

I was thinking about finer levels of specialisation, but suspect it might be a distraction rather than a help.

 

Size of population dictates the amount of specialisation.

If you made spears only all day then you need a pretty big population to get away with it.

And I was thinking if the magic man was the scientist as well.

because they are just both really trying to understand and bend the forces of life that control the world - to give the group an advantage.

I’m inclined to lump technology in with the magic man.

 

And the spear… the warrior could be integrated into the hunter because the overall function is one of killing other living things for the benefit of the group.

 

Ps The power struggle between the magic man and the chief is a perfect place for some one (micro primateus) to apply the church VS state struggle of the ages.

[Sayonara]

Size of population dictates the amount of specialisation.

In what context? Economic?

[reverse]

Political and all sorts really..

 

look at the Chief,

what functions of the US admin/ Legis/ so on does he encompass...

all of them really.

[Tetrahedrite]

The queen isn't concerned with us becoming a monarchy. Several years ago we had a referendum to become a republic, instead of being a constitutional monarchy, but it failed because a large percentage of Australians are either old, stupid, or both. The queen had no objections to the referendum, and in fact when the referendum failed the British papers were basically calling us weak for not having the guts to change. This was another occassion when I was extremely pissed off with my fellow citizens.

 

As for Australia becoming a state of the USA, I would be willing to die a painful death to stop that happening! Nothing more needs to be said.

[syntax252]

And I was thinking if the magic man was the scientist as well.

because they are just both really trying to understand and bend the forces of life that control the world - to give the group an advantage.

I’m inclined to lump technology in with the magic man.

 

And the spear… the warrior could be integrated into the hunter because the overall function is one of killing other living things for the benefit of the group.

 

Ps The power struggle between the magic man and the chief is a perfect place for some one (micro primateus) to apply the church VS state struggle of the ages.

 

The majic man evolved into today's politition. It was he who made a majic potient to apply to peoples illnesses and if they lived' date=' took credit for the cure, but if they died, said that the great spirit had spoken.

 

Today the modern politition spends 1/2 of his time convincing the public that we have a serious problem and the other 1/2 of their time explaining that only by re-electing [b']him[/b] will we have a chance to solve that problem.

 

Usually there is no problem in the first place.