[geeks] education systems around the world

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

On Sat, Oct 25, 2008 at 03:04:43PM -0500, Jonathan C. Patschke wrote:

>I'm proposing a system where people interact voluntarily and have the
>exclusive right to the fruits of their labor unless they willingly
>abdicate that right.  Traditionally, I believe that system is called
>capitalism.

In more modern times it has been given another name, Objectivism. 
I think which is almost irrelevant because it is refered to by the 
name of the author who espoused it, Ayn Rand.

Captialism was a system of shared ownership and risk based on the concept that
only a king could afford to send an expedition from Europe to the far east by
sea. A rich merchant could not afford the loss of a ship, but they could
afford 1/10th of it. So if the merchant sending the ship sold 9 shares
(and kept one) each one would stand to gain 1/10th of the profits, while 
only risking 1/10th of the loss.

This evolved into insurance, where the risk itself was sold as shares.

What currently is called capitalism may be something completely different. :-)

Just to refer back to the comment about governments, the Spanish expedition to
find a western route to the new world something that even a king could not
afford. It was funded by the proceeds of the Spanish inquistion. Since my
ancestors were thrown out of Spain in 1492, and had their possesions and
money confiscated by the crown, you could claim in a way, that I funded it.

Geoff.

-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm at mendelson.com  N3OWJ/4X1GM