Novocastrian

Root of all evil. I give you the Chicago School as an example.

Alan2005

As you're still here I shall concede the point. Though I do think Steve_P has precedent on reverse flouncing:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=628982

(though I'm actually depressed that I remember that)

Novocastrian

As I am depressed that I didn't.

<luckily I said a first>

Lord Vader

You can't "create" wealth out of thin air. Investments in technology is what has propelled humanity into where we are now. Air travel, blackberries, laptops, space exploration, etc. I have to disagree with you.

Screw the central banks, they have never been the ones behind technological innovation.

Just to add, this is why capitalism trumps communism/socialism. The Chinese will never be innovators until their government gets the hell out of the way. Until then they will be copy cats and followers.

Novocastrian

Agreed that you can't create wealth out of thin air, but you can certainly expropriate other people's labour to amass wealth for yourself.

Also agreed on your second point, but I am interested in who you think is behind technological innovation.

Lord Vader

What is wrong with creating a company? Someone with a construction company is suppose to share all the wealth evenly? Sounds like something you would say.

Free thought, education, communication and the written knowledge to build off of. But most importantly free thought. You get nowhere without that. i hear countless business stories of people "getting found" by others. Those "found ones" were given the opportunity by other individuals, not by a government.

Novocastrian

So, we're in further agreement? Publicly supported university education?

Alan2005

Er, wealth is created by something we call 'work'

But yes, everything is incremental and is built on what has gone before.

Novocastrian

Good God. More common ground!

Novocastrian

Dream on.

Edit: I'm finding it difficult to keep up with all your editing.

Lord Vader

What we have now seems to work quite well. The government tax base LOANED me money to get an education. the feds will chip in 20% of what someone puts into an RESP. I wish they were more popular when I was a kid, but none the less.

Yes of course work is involved with wealth, but work or wealth is not responsible for technological innovation, that occurs in the mind.

Lord Vader

Explain what you mean by "Dream on".

Novocastrian

Alright, but then I'm going to bed.

The world is changing (and not just the climate). Your description of China as just being good at copying things is woefully reminiscent of what people said of the Japanese 40 years ago. (I think someone else mentioned this up-thread).

The dominance of the world by Euros and NAM's has got a short lived future and the fact that the emerging superpowers have different ways of doing things is just that.

Dream on.

Lord Vader

After WW2 a capitalist democracy was instilled in Japan that replaced the old "emperor knows best" mentality. This change created an environment which allowed free thought to prosper. The same will not happen in China until they eliminate communism, although they may be described as "communist light" they still have a long way to go. As already pointed out on this thread, the Chinese economy is dependent on cheap labor supplied by their enormous population and a western consumer of course.

Alan2005

To take an idea from just that to something tangible requires investment and labour. You've lost me on the point you are trying to make - you say you disagree and then say things that indicate you actually agree