Monthly Archives: March 2009

Economic Regulation and the Myth of Free Markets

The markets of modern economies have been heavily regulated by governments since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Laissez faire really meant: grant various forms of monopoly or cohesive management to those with surpluses of goods or credit and then leave them free to do what they want. Continue reading

Posted in Sustainable Economies | 6 Comments

Economic and Personal Failure is not an option; it is a biological necessity.

Changing our fundamental beliefs is risky and takes enormous energy; so we resist changing them until they utterly fail us and we have no alternatives. The last five steps of our resistance are Denial, Anger and Blame, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Continue reading

Posted in Sustainable Economies | 1 Comment

Feel Vulnerable? You can beggar your neighbors and your kids for temporary relief.

The paradox of thrift is an economic offshoot of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. It means that we must balance personal and communal risks. We cannot eliminate either set of risks, and attempts to do so will throw both systems into chaos. Continue reading

Posted in Sustainable Economies | 1 Comment

Executive Compensation and Other Parasitic Loads

Overpaid executives are one of the parasitic loads which weaken older, larger companies. Each living species in nature has built in term-limits for its individuals which keep the average parasitic loads at tolerable levels and improve the average health of the species. Perhaps society should build in term-limits for charters of the species “corporation.” Continue reading

Posted in Business Health, Classics | 7 Comments