alt.politics.economics

On Wed, 3 Oct 2007 15:48:41 -0700, "Paul Maffia"
wrote:

>"Mark M." wrote in message
>news:47040882$0$20607$4c368faf@ ...
>> In a system without privatization of opportunity wealth would come from
>> superior skill and industry. In such a system there would be no inherent
>> justice or injustice in being wealthy or poor. Are you asserting that
>> this is the system we now have?
>
>Of course only you and God knows what you mean by the term "privatization of
>opportunity."

Private ownership of production opportunities. Seems clear enough.

>But applying simple definitions to the words to try to make
>some sense out of it and using the context of your statements, the answer is
>yes, by and large our system is exactly that.

No, it most certainly is not. Some are privileged to own the natural
resources that others must then pay for the opportunity to use. Some
are privileged to own the cultural creations -- inventions, artistic
ideas, etc. -- that others would otherwise have had the opportunity to
use. Even closed union shops are a privatization of opportunity.

-- Roy L