Quote from: tvbcof on January 21, 2015, 09:02:29 PM

Quote from: Zarathustra on January 21, 2015, 08:48:45 PM

Quote from: tvbcof on January 21, 2015, 08:27:12 PM

Quote from: Zarathustra on January 21, 2015, 08:10:51 PM

Quote from: tvbcof on January 21, 2015, 07:52:50 PM

I freely admit that I am more of a Keynsian than not. Central planning and manipulation can provide longer stretches of better performance for more people.

Here in Switzerland we have less central planning but 'longer stretches of better performance for more people'.

'less' is just as much a centrally planned decision as anything, and often the best one. Particularly if one positions themselves to exploit a vacuum created by the rest of the world. Some Caribbean nations do the same thing I believe. But when the vacuum vanishes...

No, less is not just as much, and Switzerland is not in the same position as 'some caribbean nations'. Switzerland is a high tech export machine with a huge current account surplus.

I'd say Switzerland achieve 'longer stretches of better performance for more people' mainly by being weaselly, exploitative, and conniving on the international stage (aka, neutral.) Sweden even worse by being pathetic lick-spittle whenever it's handy. I'm glad my relatives several generations ago hauled ass out of both of those places even if it has resulted in some periodic hardships for their descendants.

Exploiting the planet and the creature. That's Civilization (patriarchy) from the very beginning (10'000 years ago). At least in Switzerland we (the people) are able to reverse any decision of the state terrorists (politicians). This is not as good as anarchy, but better than the feudalism in the rest of the civilized world.