Rather Im stating that theres no observable absolute truth about these matters, although one could certainly argue for their experience and knowledge of history and argue why some historical observations should continue, but nothing is observably perpetual in our Universe (and we do not observe in perpetuity nor can we even observe everything in any given iota spacetime slice). Im arguing for a free market of choices. If some group wants to try to enslave another, if that activity is not the most economic or fruitful, theyre likely to get out-competed by a society which has a more efficient organization. Im confident the maximum division-of-labor destroys (chattel and I argued eventually Theory of the Firm) slavery, as I had explained in great detail in my past writings which you cited in your Economic Devastation thread, as well as my blog Information is Alive!
The USA Civil War wasnt really a battle about slavery, because economics was going to take care of that any way, rather it was a battle about consolidating the economies-of-scale of the United States at the time when territorial consolidation was economically valuable (the two major oceans of the earth on each coast and the Mississippi river bisecting North-to-South). And now with the Internet (as you have written about), it is about separating into efficient autonomous locales that foster the maximum division-of-labor.
ESR has not replied. I hope he perhaps he has finally gotten the point about his hypocrisy:
http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=7660#comment-1902810I think that is the first time someone has successfully slapped him back down. And I really was not trying to be disrespectful. He is the one slandering Armstrong[1] and not providing any data to show that the Confederate soldiers were slave owners. They were predominately not. We Southerners
were[still are!] fighting against an INVADING army for our way of life and to not be subjugated by the Yankees in the North. It just so happened that slavery was ongoing on the plantations but that was not necessarily something that every Southerner agreed with. It was just the economic conditions of that era. It is very foolish to make the ideological BS conclusions that he did and I hope realizes that now.
The culture of the South is still sufficiently distinct that the breakup of the USA is coming. Armstrongs predictions will be vindicated yet again and ESR will continue to look like a washed up genius whose unable to predict the future as presciently as Armstrong because of ESRs ideologically biased analysis versus Armstrongs objective computerized machine learning on huge historical and current data sets.
[1] Indeed Armstrong does often have typos and even thought typos, but he is writing several blog posts per day and ESR a blog post every few days or weeks. Armstrong (similar to myself) is not renown for his writing skills, but rather for the insights and research he provides.