• 5 Posts
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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: June 29th, 2023

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  • I see it as an unstable economic model; it will either devolve to capitalism with monopolies capturing most if not all sectors; or devolve into communism with a single state-like entity controlling everything. At which point; no matter which way it went; it will collapse under its own weight.

    The way it swings will depend on the people who are there at the start.

    The modern version of libertarianism that we see most of; is based off some really bad assumptions:

    • (1) the market is perfect
    • (2) barriers to entry are irrelevant
    • (3) monopoly is not bad
    • (4) humans are rational actors
    • (5) if the market can’t address the issue, it is irrelevant

    (1) The market is perfect:
    This leads to the assumption that all regulation is bad; and that it merely works to reduce personal freedoms and the ability of the market to produce things in the most efficient way possible.

    It completely ignores history and the reason regulatory bodies were created. It also ignores that the market is not a thing unto itself; but is composed of people (see 4).


    (2) Barriers to entry are irrelevant:
    This follows directly from (1); even the simplest business has some barrier to entry. You have to buy somethings that your business needs to run. These are real costs, and will provide a barrier. Obviously, the bigger the barrier then more entrenched players have an advantage (see 3)


    (3) Monopoly is not bad:
    This is a subtle acknowledgment that (1 & 2) are completely false. Basically it is a cope, that even if monopolies form; clearly this is the market producing the most efficient production framework.

    This ignores history; the major monopolies that were broken up. The crazy shit that went on to protect their monopoly status.


    (4) Humans are rational actors:
    Most economic models assume that consumers will make rational choices; they will make the most economically rational choices. Libertarians (in my experience) love this.

    This ignores so much of reality; it also assumes that the values of all are the same as their own.

    There is really too much in this point to cover here. So many things that we actually do make no sense if you were a rational actor, such as brand loyalty.


    (5) If the market can’t address the issue, it is irrelevant:
    There are many things that the market cannot address; but in the libertarian model these things are ignored.

    e.g. fire fighting; this is the classic example where a market solution didn’t work.

    But equally; policing; education; major infrastructure; functional health systems. There are so many examples; where if left to a purely market solution, simply would not get done.









  • We used to be. The rules changed about 10 years ago.

    A lot of big appliances require higher power. Dishwashers, clothes dryers, fridges.

    Some powers tools, drill press, plainer.

    I never worry about load splitting,.

    The benefit of the AS/NSZ plug, is that it isn’t much bigger than the US plug, but has a higher power density.