statistics

Looking at statistics

Statistics often leave out context. For example, the unemployment rate seems
lower. Besides the obvious criticism of how the data are collected, ignoring
the "discouraged workers" for example, and besides the obvious flaw in
thinking that two part-time jobs waiting tables for a yearly income of
17,000 dollars is somehow equivalent to two lost steel worker jobs with
combined incomes of 60,000 dollars, there is also, among other things, the
issue of incarceration.  If the 1.5- 2 million people in jail were out on
the street, the unemployment rate would be much higher.  The slow down in
the decline of "Western" capitalism happened because the collapse of
Eastern European regimes gave some capitalist countries some new
opportunities to invest. But, like the economic boom that comes after a war,
this will only ease the pressure for a limited time.

Maybe central planners are insensitive, or worse, corrupt in how they plan
the economy. Maybe it is idealistic to think that they can ever be a
reflection of the aspirations of the great majority. But isn't it MORE
IDEALISTIC to think that allowing unbridled greed to run society, supposedly
kept in check by the magical hand of "supply and demand"  will prevent
corporations from taking advantage of the population. Of course those same
"anti-big government" corporations and mouthpieces have NO PROBLEM USING BIG
GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY WANT TO.  Hence the rise in prison population, hence
the military build up, school uniforms, metal detectors, Identification
cards, drug testing, increased police powers, etc.  They like "free
enterprise" when it allows them to grab what they can. They love big
government when they want to protect their interests. Taken to its extreme,
it becomes fascism.

Alan Spector