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Entry: Be Careful What You Ask For Link: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/be_careful_what_you_ask_for#17794 Post contents: There is no "3rd Way", there are only TWO ways: 1) free markets (colloquially refered to as "capitalism"; or 2) unfree markets (of which "communism" is the most popular moniker). What we experience is "way" number two, "unfree markets". We've been experiencing this for practically the whole of human history (I'm sure there have been a few, isolated, unintended instances of free markets; French fur trappers in 18th century Kentucky might be a good example). Distributivism is all fine and good. I would prefer it over the communism (yes, we live under a communist regime, unfortunately) we currently experience. However, TRUE free markets, the kind that would encourage the best out of humanity (which isn't saying much, but it's better than the worst that communism encourages) can only be achieved when every human being has an equal right to the natural resources of Earth. And NO right to anyone else's labour or capital. To take an example from modern, suburban America: Wal*Mart wants to build a store in some town. In today's economy, Wal*Mart buys the property from a private owner. That location was chosen because it is on a major highway. The land owner that sold the property to Wal*Mart has benefited from that highway, but didn't pay for it's construction, society did, in the way of taxes. Then who should get the money from the land sales? Free market justice tells us "society" deserves the money. Now, I don't encourage that the money go into city government directly; but if that is what happens, it is up to the citizens to pressure city officials to spend the money wisely (pitchforks and torches have always worked well). What I would prefer is that money then be distributed, using some formula agreed upon by all, to every citizen of the town. The advantages? It gives everyone equal access to land in order to farm, run a business, own a home, etc. It also discourages land speculation, thus bringing down that purchase price of land. Above all, it funds a city government fairly, but putting money in the coffers without taxation - when someone wants to purchase property, that money goes to the town, not the private land owner, who simply "owns" the land due to a government granted monopoly. Sent at: 2008 05 16