A. Grigorova

A. Grigorova

38p

33 comments posted · 0 followers · following 0

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - The Vampire Economy an... · 0 replies · +3 points

Chad, I am going to take a crack at your question of why I believe you are mistaken. Firstly, I am going to say under true free market system, no one is "propertyless". Property is defined as "something tangible or intangible to which its owner has legal title." By this I mean one always has ownership of their labor. Which in turn this labor is traded for good, service, or whatever else is agreed upon. No matter how meanial or what one's skill set is, a person still own their labor, the only difference is the agreed value of this labor between the two parties.

The beauty of the truly free market is that even the most lowly man on the totem pole can negotiate the value of his property, which in this case is his labor. The folly of any form of statism or controlled market system is that often times value of property is assessed by a thrid party, often times the state, through either minimum wages or other forms of price controls. The reason why even the most lowly man is freer under a truly free market is the fact that he has negotiating power of the value of his property and he has control over whom his wishes to trade his property with.

As a reference to a comment you had made about land owners who rent their land, you had said:

"Want to live on my land? That will cost you, whether in money or labor. Why give you a good deal when I can bleed you? I have the property and you don't have anything to trade for it. Don't like it? Go somewhere else (of course, everywhere else the deal is more or less the same.)"

I guess what you are describing, to me sounds more or less like some sort of collaborative property leasing cartel. Of course these landlords, effecively get together and set similar prices for the benefit of not having to go into competition with one another. The problem with cartels in a free market, is that they are self defeating due to the auto-correcting nature of an unhindered, truly free market.

When a cartel is formed, they have inadvertantly created a new market. This new market would come from a demand for reasonably priced rentals from consumers. When this demand is created, other property owners or potental investers would spring up for a piece of the market share to serve this need. Then when consumers see that property is being rented for reaonable prices, with less restrictions, they will come in droves. This will starve the cartels into either changing their business practices, thus breaking up the cartel, or it would effectively end their business for not adapting to the market place.

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - Where Google Really Ge... · 0 replies · +2 points

Google has become the most used search engine because they are the best. Of course Google, being a "free" service, it has to make money somewhere down the line, either through their ad words or through sale of other Google products/services. Why shouldn't Google be allowed to play favorites to their own offerings when it comes to them making money? Every other company does this. Hell, if Google wishes to place certain results at the top of their engine because it makes money, this is fine. Let the market decide what is right for Google and what isn't. If users are unhappy with this practice and the search engine results they receive, their are tons of other search engines out there like Yahoo or Microsoft's Bing, etc.

If enough people were dissatisfied with Google and stopped using it, the prices of advertising with Google would be much cheaper and less desirable because they have less traffic. Being that advertising is a "free" websites bread and butter, Google will have no choice but to discontinue the practices that made traffic go elsewhere. The market always has a self correcting mechanism if people would leave it the hell alone and let it do as it does.

You know I have become very fond of Google over the years. I know many other libertarians do gripe about Google's use of patents, but they have so many good points, even outside of the search engine and other websites they provide. Like for instance, Google's Android operating system for mobile device is open source for one. Google released most of the Android code under the Apache License, a free software license. Meaning anyone can put this OS on their tablets or smart phones at no cost. Thus, Android is the king of mobile operating systems for this reason as well as others like security, stability, etc, as it is Linux based. But, this other story for other time.

Also, Google is very transparent about all subpoenas and request for data they receive. Hell, in the US., Google has fought the Justice Dept over requests to turn over data from its index of the Web and users searches. Google has also recently released a data that details request of various national governments that have either asked Google to remove specific content from their websites or have asked Google to turn over information of users of specific Google products like Blogger and Youtube. Google has also vowed to end any censoring of its websites. Google held to this word and now offers uncensored service to China!

Now those are pretty libertarian things, in my opinion. :-D

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - Wrong Medicine for a S... · 0 replies · +2 points

Chris, let me make this very simple, YOU ARE WRONG. The US has the second highest federal-state corporate tax rate among industrialized nations, which is currently around 39.3%! The only country with a highest over all corporate tax rate is Japan with it's whopping 39.5%. US corporate taxes are higher than ANY country in Europe and mind you European countries must use this revenue to pay for the giant welfare states that they have created, thus they need the money more.

Now, I know exactly your argument to the facts I have mentioned. You are going to argue that most other countries have a value added tax. Let me stop you here before you mention this. In almost all cases businesses are exempt from value added tax as this tax is always picked up by the consumer instead.

Hell, I currently live in Bulgaria which was a communist country until 1989. Our corporate tax (and our income tax) is only a flat 10% all across the board. This low flat income tax, coupled with the fact that the red tape of business regulations have been reduced has made businesses from most of the neighboring countries relocate their head quarters to Bulgaria instead. So as companies are fleeing from the US like it is one big Leper colony, somehow the logic is to raise taxes and hope, they will come back because they all of a sudden decide they are feeling "patriotic"? Horse shit, people and corporations are not patriotic when it comes to stealing the wealth they have generated!

Why should businesses who create jobs and generate revenue for a nation be perpetually taxed to death? Hell, over 40% of American households pay not only zero income tax, they are in negative tax brackets. Due to these refundable credits like Earned Income Credit, these people get more back more than they paid in to taxes. This is unfair! Why should these people get back more than they paid in considering if you qualify for EIC, this means you have children. Thus, these people use more resources than a corporation does!

This is exactly the reason why America needs a flat 10% income tax like Bulgaria does. Everyone pays their 10%, no exceptions!

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - The Fascist Threat - L... · 0 replies · +7 points

I think you have a valid point of this statement coinciding with the political climate at the time. What is funny to me is what you have written reminds me of the expression I heard growing up, "getting in on red street". This is where people will say things regardless of their true opinion out of fear of repercussion of the regime in which they currently live. This was common expression of socialist Russia.

However, I personally feel this is not even the case with Mises in this quote. This is considering the ideology that presents itself in the book "Liberalism" is a very affront to fascist and socialist doctrine in itself.

What I chop this quote up to is intellectual honesty. Fascism did in fact have many measurable positives when it was first implemented even though the system as a whole was flawed and would eventually produce a negative outcome.

Let's use a person who is a juicer as an example. When one takes steroids, there are many positive effects in the beginning. Benefits that can be measured by even a person who is a rube by nature. One will become more trim, lose body fat, and gain much muscle mass. These are great benefits until your testicles shrivel up and your body breaks out with chronic acne. This is even failing to mention the serious health problems that could be fatal if use persist. But still, no one can deny the fact that steroids do work if you are looking to bulk up, but consequences are ultimately dire.

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - The Fascist Threat - L... · 1 reply · +13 points

This quote does not bother me but your illogical conclusion does! Mises' statement is hardly what I would call pro-fascist or that of a fascist sympathizer. It is merely stating a fact of the initial positives of a fascist system, though ultimately fascism will eventually manifest its self as a negative system.

Example: Let's say you were the first person to ever stumble upon the substance cocaine. You then ingest this substance. After your first dose, you say to yourself, "This is great, I have so much energy, I feel as if I can do anything and take on the world. Further, this substance makes me so talkative and outgoing, thus people feel more attracted to my personality. Also, usage of this substance gives me the feeling of euphoria.

After time passes and the prolonged use of this substance, one realizes that they have a growing dependency. They find this sense of euphoria replaced with agitation, paranoia, and sleeplessness. They begin to become withdraw from the same people they once enjoyed being out going with due to the drug. The energy this substance has once given them is replaced with the fact that when they use, one feels only normal energy levels versus when they do not use they feel sluggish and unmotivated. These are only the intermediate problems of usage, not the long term health problems one can receive if this usage continues for an extended length.

From my statement, one could say that cocaine in fact has some positive benefits that could be a stop gap for certain aliments. Also, from my statement it also appears the risk truly out weigh the benefits as further usage continues. However, because of the benefits and the risk, cocaine has won its place in history.

Still follow?

When fascism was first implemented in Italy under Benito Mussolini, the concept was relatively new. Fascism, as with any new political system, there of course is a psychological optimism that comes with implementing new policies and of course the excitement of change. However, not all of the benefits of fascism were merely psychological, they were measurable even by today's standards.

Like for instance, the implementation of a minimum wage and the nationalization of the munitions industry, meant that citizens had more jobs and disposable income. Cartelization of specific industries made the handful of companies that benefited very profitable and more productive. Also, the 85% tax on war profits also insured that the government has plenty of money to pour into programs that helped the average citizen (mind you that this was during the time of WWI). Fascism also instilled a sense of national pride and unity in the citizens of Italy.

Fascism rebuked socialism and communism, which made it seem like the more desirable choice. Plus, the ensuing police state of fascism also initially reduced crime.

These are all very measurable benefits. These are the benefits and positive stop gap measures I believe Mises was acknowledging.

Of course with any system that begins with only a slight impingement of freedom, comes the old "camel's nose" so to speak. In 1924, a law passed complete power in Mussolini’s hands and introduced several repressive measures.Many political parties were banned. Trade unions were also banned. Freedom of press what also out the window. Elected local officials were replaced by officials appointed by the central government. The police state that ensued which initially lowered crime, increased powers of detention without trial and also broadened the scope of the death penalty. These were the flaws that traditionally manifest themselves in any totalitarian style state. Of course, these equate to the eventual demise....

Just because the ultimate outcome was negative, does not negate the positives that did exist due to fascism. And as for fascism "winning" its place in history, well this evidence speaks for itself. :-D

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - The Fascist Threat - L... · 0 replies · +4 points

What can I say, Mr. Rockwell knocks another one right out of the park. My belief is that every regime in this country since I have been alive, has boiling the frog so to speak. Sometimes I feel as if I am the only one who is aware of the fact that our nation is being acclimated to a slow boil of fascism, socialism, or whatever the new fashion "ism" is now days that is anti-liberty, pro-welfare state, with elements of the totalitarian. Ic try to warn people, but their eyes glaze over as if I am giving them lesson on differential equation. People are so accustom to being boiled, they refuse to believe that they are being boiled. I guess the story of the frog is right.

Perhaps I understand this is what is happening because I have always grown up with stories from my father, about how in America we are free. How we can choose our life path, where we want to live, what we want to do, what you want to eat. All of this whenever we want and how we want, so long as you are capable of providing it for yourselves. These things were a big deal considering this way of life did not exist when my dad was growing up in USSR.

However, these old stories are not the way things are, they have become the fairy tails of yesterday.. My father still has so much faith, he sees how thing have eroded but he thinks it could be easily put back together. He such the romantic patriot when it comes to his adopted nation. I consider myself a person of thought and a person of reason, thus the consensus is something of this magnitude can not simply be fixed. We have since crossed that bridge a long time ago.

America doesn't know socialism. It doesn't know fascism. It has seen neither in its purist forms. That is why these concepts are embraced by different names and the masses are too ignorant to know the difference. Any many are clamoring for these ideals mask by different names...

Bulgaria is looking better and better with all of its personal freedoms, 10% flat income tax, and the knowledge that it once suffered as a communist nation, thus they don't wish to make the same mistake twice. I feel so thankful, my husband and I have a home there as well.

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - The Fascist Threat - L... · 2 replies · +7 points

LOL I meant "Mises' passage is honest and LOGICAL." Not local, the late night and the sleep med I took are catching up with me. I hope I clarified this error.

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - The Fascist Threat - L... · 3 replies · +15 points

Wow, your post is either a case of logic failure or it is a case of bastardization through means of incorrect interpretation. No where in Mises' passages do I see ANY promotion of fascism! I am only a 27 year old, school drop out and my reading comprehension alone tells me your conclusion is WRONG!

To me a proper interpretation of this passage would be likening fascism to a band aid holding closed a gaping, festering wound. In theory, the band aid helps keep the wound together and adds some small aid against further infection. However, the wound is festering from the inside and will eventually get worse if left to this device.

Mises' passage is honest and local. Hell, like with the socialism that was first implemented in USSR (one of my pet-peeves being of Russian heritage). In the beginning socialism was salvation for many as everyone has become gainfully employed and those living in poverty now have more than they did. At this stage the USSR not only grew but did prosper. Then the reality of socialism started setting in, eventually the government started running out of other people's money... And well, we all know what happened after that.

Or, I could even liken Mises' passage to the statement by Alan Greenspan, "America will never default because it can always print more money." This statement is correct, US could just print money and pay off all of its debt. However, the fall out that would ensue due to inflation would be catastrophic. So obviously this statement was not an advocate of this practice, but merely stating a truth which would eventually have dire consequences.

Hell, if my interpretations aren't good enough for you, please re-read Mises' last sentence: "But though its policy has brought salvation for the moment, it is NOT of the kind which could PROMISE CONTINUED SUCCESS."

This last statement is the kicker, it is the one saying that though with fascism and socialism alike, any immediate benefits of such governance would be ONLY SHORT TERM and can NOT GUARANTEE FURTHER SUCCESS!

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - Social Cooperation and... · 1 reply · +1 points

I have always loved the flea markets back home for the same reasons mentioned in the article. I currently live in Bulgaria and most retailers are very similar to the flea markets back at home in the US. For instance, a side from the sheer variety of stores and goods that are available here in BG, there is also a large assortment of knock off goods. No one is offended (other than the shock you see from some western tourist who are offended over IP) that stores sell knock off goods as those who can afford to by the real ones do, and those who can't buy what they can afford. Also, prices can be negotiated at pretty much every store but generally I don't haggle because the prices are usually very good anyway. Often times without haggling, many store attendants will out right offer discounts if you purchase multiple items. Plus being an American citizen, I can even get the VAT back from the items I have purchased when I ever I go back to the US. :-D

Also, you can walk past a news stand and see tons of magazines just lined up with topless women. So one can simply see what is available and buy it. Instead of having to go whisper discreetly to a news stand worker that they want a Playboy (or whatever the new nudey mag of today is), like they asking for drugs.

Another thing that is cool here, is the fact that many drugs can be purchased here without a prescription. The EU has made Bulgaria adapt laws requiring that almost everything require a prescription. However, the pharmacies are not enforcing this law other than on narcotics. They usually ask if you know how to take the medicine before they will see it to you just to cover their behinds. However, one pharmacy I go to the lady is real nice and will usually print something out on dosage when she sells you a medicine.

I could only imagine if these things were done back at home in the US in places other than a flea market. First they would take all the knock off goods and destroy them. Second, manufactures would probably sue the stores for letting customers haggle prices instead of selling at MSRP. Third, the news stand with the topless magazines would be draped because I guess breast are suppose to be offensive. Forth, I wouldn't be able to weasel out of the sales tax. And five, the pharmacies that sell without prescriptions would be shut down and that nice lady pharmacist would be drug away in hand cuffs for just wanting to help sick people.

12 years ago @ Ludwig von Mises Insti... - Pseudofacts and Glass ... · 0 replies · 0 points

Actually, if you re-read the article, you will see in the mention of one being in denial was reference to Krugman and Kerry.