by ET » Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:06 pm
Yikes. Well, Mandela misses it big-time on the quote above and number 4 on that list for starters. For one, poverty is the natural state of mankind. The wealth that any nation or group of people possess is there because they developed some way to create wealth, or have developed the skills to create wealth or accumulated knowledge or maybe even just live in the right geographical area.
The United States has existed for some 237 years. China, Europe, the Middle East and Africa have had civilizations for thousands of years, yet the United States is the wealthiest nation in the world. Why? Why is Japan richer than China? Why is South Korea richer than North Korea? Why is North America richer than South America? Why is Western Europe richer than Eastern Europe? Why can some countries with few natural resources (Japan and Switzerland, for example) be so much richer than countries with vast natural resources and far larger populations and geography?
As for number 4 in the list, it is a "fallacy" to say that Gandhi "exposes the fallacy of the claim that everyone can be rich and successful provided they work hard". It is not an argument of Adam Smith (at least none I have ever read) that riches and success will follow if someone "works hard". A person can work at whatever they choose, but that does not guarantee success and riches. You can work as hard or even harder than someone else, but if that person creates something that others value more than what you produce, then as far as material wealth and success is defined, you will not be as rich or successful.
There is no promise in capitalism or free market philosophy that "working hard" guarantees "everyone can be rich and successful". Apparently neither Gandhi or Mandela understood that.
I'm Ed Thompson, and I approve this message.