Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Technology => Topic started by: Stevie Bain on 01/09/2017 13:55:51
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Donald says:
Why is there not a consensus regarding the best economic system given that so many have been tried and there is plenty of evidence to deliberate over?
Can you help?
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Best for whom?
And what is "best"?
Does one count "Fairness"? Total wealth? Fastest growth? Most stability?
How do we compare tradeoffs between these? And what happens when we include variables like population dynamics, natural disasters, war, technological revolutions etc? Should an economic system adapt with the times, or is it an immutable ideal system that is always true?
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Why is there not a consensus regarding the best economic system
Because so many people get so invested in the one they are in that anything else looks like a loser.
And those invested enough to try and improve the system they are in just make it even more complicated, so the only people who can win are those who can pay the best accountants and lawyers.
But all economic systems fall down on a few fallacies:
- Humans are illogical: They view the cost of losing something twice as high as they initially viewed the benefit of gaining that same thing.
- Humans are greedy: They view something that benefits themselves far more highly than they view something that benefits only other people
- "We" deserve more than "Them": Chauvinism means that other countries, other ethnic groups, other political systems, other educational levels or even other suburbs are discriminated against, and not awarded the same benefits we keep for ourselves.
- Nepotism is rife: If people can't have it for themselves, they want it for their family. That's why the US Presidency has all sorts of rules designed to discourage nepotism. This seems to be causing problems for another Donald, at the moment...
That's why you won't get a consensus - because a political system that is ideal for one person will discriminate against others (for whom it is obviously not ideal).