Omlouvám se na nadpis v aj, ale přecejen to zní líp. Potřebuju si ujasnit otázku peněz, tak se ptám vás . Předesílám, že nemám moc ponětí, jakým způsobem funguje ekonomika, takže se mi nesmějte.
Dneska jsem zjistila, že bych se asi cítila provinile, kdybych měla hodně peněz=). Napadlo mě, jeslti když já zbohatnu, znamená to, že někdo jiný zchudne. Jinak řečeno, že na světě je stále stejné množství bohatství a pouze se přesouvá. Zajímá mě, jeslti může země zbohatnout, aniž by to bylo na úkor někoho jiného.
samozřejmě jsem to googlila, ale našla jsem jen různé variace na jeden názor, článek níže, a taky mě zajímají názory těch, kteří tomu rozumí určitě víc než já
The myth about capitalism- The rich become richer, the poor become poorer
Every time I watch some anti-globalization or anti-free-trade demonstrations, talk in Indonesian parliament about free rice distribution for poor people, environmentalists’ campaign which tried to persuade developed nations to put large part of their money for saving environment (like Kyoto protocol), I have noticed certain pattern of thinking which are very popular among us regardless of our worldview.
This pattern of thinking basically assume that there is a fixed amount of resources (or potential resources) in this world, and most people who are smart, innovative, or just plain lucky, have more access to extract, utilize, and enjoy these resources and not so lucky people, since they are not fully equipped to extract these resources are failed to compete and have lesser and lesser possession of these resources.
So that is why these people are screaming like crazy when they see a lot of people in advanced nations can afford to change their mobile phone every 1-2 years, traveling every half year, buying car after about 4 years working whereas on the other sides of the world people live with less than $2 dollar per day. They think that these capitalists take huge profit out of extracting third world nations and use it to manufacture car, computer and mobile phone. They think that essentially the value of those products are not supposed to be that high but these capitalists want to exploit poor people and deny them their deserved salary.
And communists also thought so. During Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, Lenin forced farmers to sell their agriculture product below market price, leaving around 20 millions Russian died.
Recently, I read a book with title Money, Greed and God. This book discuss some assumptions which are often being made against capitalism. One of the assumption, is that the assumption that wealth is transferred. So, using that logic if someone become richer, someone else will become poorer.
The flaw about this theory is that they make fundamental mistake about value of wealth. Their logic come essentially from Karl Marx. From Karl Marx theory, the intrinsic price inside a good is result of various production factors, such as material, labor time, and so on. Such theory is rooted from Marx’s materialism because he believed that nothing new inside time and space can be created. Therefore, wealth should be intrinsically within this world, and people just make it visible when they manufacture the product.
Of course, there is a truth on that theory but not whole truth. The problem is we cannot define intrinsic value of good from the production factors. The intrinsic value of good is determined by mind of customer. I can manufacture car and then give it to tribes in Papua island, who even still cannot read alphabet. For them, the intrinsic value of the car is zero. Even the same customer, can value same product differently in different time.
So here is the difference. The interaction between product (or service) and customer need in their mind CREATE wealth. Wealth is not something exist in this world. It is rooted in human mind. Human mind has infinite needs and entrepreneurs who found out their needs are rewarded with profits, which create wealth.
Now, based on that logic, I have no need to envy if we see people who like Warren Buffets or Bill Gates who can use their wealth to buy probably several hundred islands in Indonesia, if they want, whereas I still struggle to save some money for my future study, marriage, and family. They deserve their wealth because they CREATE it, not take or exploit it from poor people.
Using this thinking also let you to view world more positively, instead of viewing your friends or colleagues as your potential competitor for resources in this world which will lead us to use every conceivable way, whether ethical or not, to become fittest species.
So the capitalism is not where the rich become richer, the poor become poorer. The rich become very rich, but the poor also become RICHER.