Thanks Melrose, although I've just been hit with a dose of flu or something, which couldn't really have come at a more inconvenient time.
I think the consensus is that Afghans vote along tribal lines and, as a member of the majority Pashtun tribe, Karzai is likely to be re-elected, with or without vote-rigging. A national unity Govt w more…
Thanks, although I think Afghanistan does need a strong Govt, I know what you mean. Having seen a few programmes about Afghanistan it's clear that many villages in rural areas have never been connected to roads, electricty or water supplies and the Govt doesn't seem to have much relevance to local people. Local elders seem to want to be left alon more…
Thanks for this. Very thorough and thought-provoking.
Personally, I wonder if Afghanistan does need so much central government. It might be better off as a looser entity. For everybody else the important thing is to seal up the frontiers so that the Taliban can't use it as a base to foment terrorism in other countries.
Or, that yes indeed it's because it wasn't left to the markets. The ironic thing being that banking is pretty much the most regulated industry out there.
I would say that it's somewhat true that it can be the local busybodys, but a problem I find is that people are restricted by parties in what decisions or questions they make, as it reflects upon the party nationally.
What we need are a bunch on indys going in and causing havok... more…
You can really save a lot of your time and energy for finding the lender of loans for the unemployed, is one of the quickest loans which approved with in few hours. I applied some times ago and now I got it same day and I must want to share that websites which are providing ea more…
Ok I'll admit I was generalising, and I guess there is no shortage of national politicians with more ambition than common sense.
Right in the historic Georgian part of the town where I work there is an enormous grey beomouth of a concrete builidng, which looks like the secret police building from 1984 or some Soviet-era city. In my more…
Well I'm sure you're right in part but it may just be that people's life situation doesn't permit them to go national or they may just be running out of years. the ugliest building in our town is the police station (circa 1980, I reckon). It's a monstrosity on stilts built with grey bricks which is right next to the relief road built about ten year more…
Well I'm sure you're right in part but it may just be that people's life situation doesn't permit them to go national or they may just be running out of years. the ugliest building in our town is the police station (circa 1980, I reckon). It's a monstrosity on stilts built with grey bricks which is right next to the relief road built about ten year more…
Ha we are back on topic now. We must test theories against the evidence we can see and, although we can't achieve a paradise, we can look at making things better.
With regard to low-wage workers in the West, I would say that the idea applies to anyone with a basic skill, trade or a profession and most ordinary workers have switched jo more…
so what happens with low paid, manual work in the West, how do companies seek to reecruit them? I think by the fact that there are so many people working at minimum wage levels, your theory only applies to upper-scale work. Most jobs are paid roughly the same and there is always more demand than jobs available. Might relate more to CEOs and bankers more…
Ok this is definitely off-topic now. Regardless of how it happened, the workers with the best rights are, without fail, in free, capitalist societies. Labour rights are an intrinsic part of capitalism, as it gives labour the freedom and strength to improve its position either collectively, through unions; or individually, by moving to an employer more…
Thanks for your replies. I do understand the role of worker participation in politics has been fundamental, but this is again down to trade unions and their role in the development in social democratic parties in Europe. Although in the UK, with the House of Lords still in operation, the actual power of workers is questionable. The connection of bu more…
Yes Trade Unions can have an important role to play especially in developing economies. But Trade Unions are only free to exist in capitalist economies and the very wealth that has accrued to ordinary workers has been made possible by the wealth generation of p more…
Firstly, I think the role of the trade unions needs unpacking a bit more. Certainly, they played an important role but I think this must be down to fostering workers'education and involvement in politics as much as campaigning directly for better pay.
Secondly, want of the plain economic kind is a moral problem and a pretty permanent o more…
I have to say that it is only because of strong trade unions that the people of these countries have got themselves out of poverty. If you look at the treatment of labour until the rise of strong trade union and socialist movements, it was on par to slave labour. Capitalism is based on the principles of greed, it is still a system in which profit i more…
Yes the Tiger economies of S.E. Asia experienced a financial crisis in the 1990s. Centrally planned North Korea didn’t. It experienced catastrophic famine and the death of millions of its citizens. As I said no system is perfect.
100 years ago British citizens had many problems; however, they w more…
Do you realise that the biggest promoters of this "free-market" model that you speak so highly of also have suffered from massive economic crashes? Ever heard of the South Asian Market crash of 1997? And surely you must also realise that two of the "free-est" markets in the world have suffered more than any other in the current economic crisis; Bri more…
I think we can both agree that Big Government is a bad idea, but I can surely criticise wasteful Govt and the Royal Family at the same time.
The precise cost of chinooks aside I think it's clear that the Queen has no more right to Crown Estate payments than anyone else, either it is her private property or it isn't, she can't have her more…
Thanks for your comment, I apologise as I have evidently misunderstood the role of the Crown Estate. But for me this is good news. As the assets of the Crown Estate are not the private property of the Queen, it surely means she has no more right to live in the various royal palaces, which I presume are owned by the Crown Estate, then any other Br more…
Recent comments (30)
In response to: "Holding The Line" 17 days old
by pups for sale [Visitor]
Great article, continue doing and making great posts.
Pups for Sale more…
In response to: "Holding The Line" 28 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Thanks Melrose, although I've just been hit with a dose of flu or something, which couldn't really have come at a more inconvenient time.
I think the consensus is that Afghans vote along tribal lines and, as a member of the majority Pashtun tribe, Karzai is likely to be re-elected, with or without vote-rigging. A national unity Govt w more…
In response to: "Local Politics, Local Minds" 28 days old
by replica handbags [Visitor]
replica handbags more…
In response to: "Debating The Hijab" 28 days old
by replica handbags [Visitor]
replica handbags more…
In response to: "Holding The Line" 29 days old
by Melrose [Member]
What sort of result is to be hoped for? Do you think a coalition is likely?
Best wishes for the move.
Melrose more…
In response to: "Chasing Victory, Avoiding Defeat" 44 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Thanks, although I think Afghanistan does need a strong Govt, I know what you mean. Having seen a few programmes about Afghanistan it's clear that many villages in rural areas have never been connected to roads, electricty or water supplies and the Govt doesn't seem to have much relevance to local people. Local elders seem to want to be left alon more…
In response to: "Chasing Victory, Avoiding Defeat" 44 days old
by Melrose [Member]
Thanks for this. Very thorough and thought-provoking.
Personally, I wonder if Afghanistan does need so much central government. It might be better off as a looser entity. For everybody else the important thing is to seal up the frontiers so that the Taliban can't use it as a base to foment terrorism in other countries.
Alt more…
In response to: "Debating The Hijab" 45 days old
by Hijab styles [Visitor]
Hijab is a great thing i think. more…
In response to: "Free Trade Is The Fairest Trade" 53 days old
by Thomas Byrne [Visitor]
Capitalism? What Capitalism?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/GM_-_Countries_by_Economic_Freedom_Index.png more…
In response to: "The Nature of the Market" 53 days old
by Thomas Byrne [Visitor]
Or, that yes indeed it's because it wasn't left to the markets. The ironic thing being that banking is pretty much the most regulated industry out there.
I'll send you along to the bailout reader...
http://mises.org/story/3128 more…
In response to: "Local Politics, Local Minds" 53 days old
by Thomas Byrne [Visitor]
I would say that it's somewhat true that it can be the local busybodys, but a problem I find is that people are restricted by parties in what decisions or questions they make, as it reflects upon the party nationally.
What we need are a bunch on indys going in and causing havok... more…
In response to: "The Nature of the Market" 58 days old
by adwe [Visitor]
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In response to: "The Price Of Progress" 72 days old
by Deborah Beacham [Visitor]
You can really save a lot of your time and energy for finding the lender of loans for the unemployed, is one of the quickest loans which approved with in few hours. I applied some times ago and now I got it same day and I must want to share that websites which are providing ea more…
In response to: "Local Politics, Local Minds" 74 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Ok I'll admit I was generalising, and I guess there is no shortage of national politicians with more ambition than common sense.
Right in the historic Georgian part of the town where I work there is an enormous grey beomouth of a concrete builidng, which looks like the secret police building from 1984 or some Soviet-era city. In my more…
In response to: "Local Politics, Local Minds" 74 days old
by Melrose [Member]
Well I'm sure you're right in part but it may just be that people's life situation doesn't permit them to go national or they may just be running out of years. the ugliest building in our town is the police station (circa 1980, I reckon). It's a monstrosity on stilts built with grey bricks which is right next to the relief road built about ten year more…
In response to: "Local Politics, Local Minds" 74 days old
by Melrose [Member]
Well I'm sure you're right in part but it may just be that people's life situation doesn't permit them to go national or they may just be running out of years. the ugliest building in our town is the police station (circa 1980, I reckon). It's a monstrosity on stilts built with grey bricks which is right next to the relief road built about ten year more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Ha we are back on topic now. We must test theories against the evidence we can see and, although we can't achieve a paradise, we can look at making things better.
With regard to low-wage workers in the West, I would say that the idea applies to anyone with a basic skill, trade or a profession and most ordinary workers have switched jo more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Paul [Visitor]
so what happens with low paid, manual work in the West, how do companies seek to reecruit them? I think by the fact that there are so many people working at minimum wage levels, your theory only applies to upper-scale work. Most jobs are paid roughly the same and there is always more demand than jobs available. Might relate more to CEOs and bankers more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Ok this is definitely off-topic now. Regardless of how it happened, the workers with the best rights are, without fail, in free, capitalist societies. Labour rights are an intrinsic part of capitalism, as it gives labour the freedom and strength to improve its position either collectively, through unions; or individually, by moving to an employer more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Paul [Visitor]
Thanks for your replies. I do understand the role of worker participation in politics has been fundamental, but this is again down to trade unions and their role in the development in social democratic parties in Europe. Although in the UK, with the House of Lords still in operation, the actual power of workers is questionable. The connection of bu more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Thanks for your comment.
This is going way off-topic but hey,
Yes Trade Unions can have an important role to play especially in developing economies. But Trade Unions are only free to exist in capitalist economies and the very wealth that has accrued to ordinary workers has been made possible by the wealth generation of p more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Melrose [Member]
Firstly, I think the role of the trade unions needs unpacking a bit more. Certainly, they played an important role but I think this must be down to fostering workers'education and involvement in politics as much as campaigning directly for better pay.
Secondly, want of the plain economic kind is a moral problem and a pretty permanent o more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Paul [Visitor]
I have to say that it is only because of strong trade unions that the people of these countries have got themselves out of poverty. If you look at the treatment of labour until the rise of strong trade union and socialist movements, it was on par to slave labour. Capitalism is based on the principles of greed, it is still a system in which profit i more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Thanks for your comments.
Yes the Tiger economies of S.E. Asia experienced a financial crisis in the 1990s. Centrally planned North Korea didn’t. It experienced catastrophic famine and the death of millions of its citizens. As I said no system is perfect.
100 years ago British citizens had many problems; however, they w more…
In response to: "Perfection Is Impossible" 91 days old
by Owen Tressell [Visitor]
Do you realise that the biggest promoters of this "free-market" model that you speak so highly of also have suffered from massive economic crashes? Ever heard of the South Asian Market crash of 1997? And surely you must also realise that two of the "free-est" markets in the world have suffered more than any other in the current economic crisis; Bri more…
In response to: "Queen And Country" 97 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
I think we can both agree that Big Government is a bad idea, but I can surely criticise wasteful Govt and the Royal Family at the same time.
The precise cost of chinooks aside I think it's clear that the Queen has no more right to Crown Estate payments than anyone else, either it is her private property or it isn't, she can't have her more…
In response to: "Queen And Country" 99 days old
by Matt Wardman [Visitor]
Sorry - a couple of typos above, but I think my meaning is clear. more…
In response to: "Queen And Country" 99 days old
by Matt Wardman [Visitor]
Coming back with a vigorous reply.
>Thanks for your comment, I apologise as I have evidently misunderstood the role of the Crown Estate. But for me this is good news.
Glad about that :-)
>As the assets of the Crown Estate are not the private property of the Queen, it surely means she has no more right t more…
In response to: "Queen And Country" 101 days old
by Pick1 [Member]
Thanks for your comment, I apologise as I have evidently misunderstood the role of the Crown Estate. But for me this is good news. As the assets of the Crown Estate are not the private property of the Queen, it surely means she has no more right to live in the various royal palaces, which I presume are owned by the Crown Estate, then any other Br more…
In response to: "Queen And Country" 102 days old
by Matt Wardman [Visitor]
BTW it would have been useful to have a link back to the Sunday Times piece, so I can evaluate your source.
Rgds more…