Sunday 31 October 2010
Morning Scepticism: Invisible Hand
The link between the free market and the forces of evolution is something I have seen made on more than one occasion, both biologists making the case for evolution through analogy and from people arguing for an unregulated free market. Yet I wonder of those who understand how evolution works if they really want a market run in much the same way. The process is incredibly wasteful, cruel to all but a lucky few, no forward planning, and much contingent on external factors; why would anyone want a society based around such a process? Even if we grant that it can work, the way it works doesn't make it in any way desirable.
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1 comment:
"the way it works doesn't make it in any way desirable"
Indeed. The question is - how to make it better? The idea behind Socialism was complete government control of all areas of the economy. Unfortunatley you now leave room for corrupt people to misallocate resources (i.e. waste, etc).
I imagine a future where computers will impartially decide optimal allocation of resources - but alas that might be impossible?
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