The State Is the 1 Percent

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The "occupy" protest movement is thriving off the claim that the 99 percent are being exploited by the 1 percent, and there is truth in what they say. But they have the identities of the groups wrong. They imagine that it is the 1 percent of highest wealth holders who are the problem. In fact, that 1 percent includes some of the smartest, most innovative people in the country — the people who invent, market, and distribute material blessings to the whole population. They also own the capital that sustains productivity and growth.

But there is another 1 percent out there, those who do live parasitically off the population and exploit the 99 percent. Moreover, there is a long intellectual tradition, dating back to the late Middle Ages, that draws attention to the strange reality that a tiny minority lives off the productive labor of the overwhelming majority.

I'm speaking of the state, which even today is made up of a tiny sliver of the population but is the direct cause of all the impoverishing wars, inflation, taxes, regimentation, and social conflict. This 1 percent is the direct cause of the violence, the censorship, the unemployment, and vast amounts of poverty, too.

The State Is the 1 Percent - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Daily

 

[francoHFW]

"Yes, when greedy mega rich Pubs are controlling the gov't for their own selfish ends. But the teachers, cops, and firemen who are the first pub cuts certainly are part of the 99%"...Pub dupes!

 

[toxicmedia]

The "occupy" protest movement is thriving off the claim that the 99 percent are being exploited by the 1 percent, and there is truth in what they say. But they have the identities of the groups wrong. They imagine that it is the 1 percent of highest wealth holders who are the problem. In fact, that 1 percent includes some of the smartest, most innovative people in the country — the people who invent, market, and distribute material blessings to the whole population. They also own the capital that sustains productivity and growth.

But there is another 1 percent out there, those who do live parasitically off the population and exploit the 99 percent. Moreover, there is a long intellectual tradition, dating back to the late Middle Ages, that draws attention to the strange reality that a tiny minority lives off the productive labor of the overwhelming majority.

I'm speaking of the state, which even today is made up of a tiny sliver of the population but is the direct cause of all the impoverishing wars, inflation, taxes, regimentation, and social conflict. This 1 percent is the direct cause of the violence, the censorship, the unemployment, and vast amounts of poverty, too.

The State Is the 1 Percent - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Daily

Did you catch RP's interview yesterday on Meet the Press?

 

[Twalbert]

I think Rockwell forgets that the U.S. is in the company of third world countries when it comes to income equality.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

"Yes, when greedy mega rich Pubs are controlling the gov't for their own selfish ends. But the teachers, cops, and firemen who are the first pub cuts certainly are part of the 99%"...Pub dupes!

Try again.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The "occupy" protest movement is thriving off the claim that the 99 percent are being exploited by the 1 percent, and there is truth in what they say. But they have the identities of the groups wrong. They imagine that it is the 1 percent of highest wealth holders who are the problem. In fact, that 1 percent includes some of the smartest, most innovative people in the country — the people who invent, market, and distribute material blessings to the whole population. They also own the capital that sustains productivity and growth.

But there is another 1 percent out there, those who do live parasitically off the population and exploit the 99 percent. Moreover, there is a long intellectual tradition, dating back to the late Middle Ages, that draws attention to the strange reality that a tiny minority lives off the productive labor of the overwhelming majority.

I'm speaking of the state, which even today is made up of a tiny sliver of the population but is the direct cause of all the impoverishing wars, inflation, taxes, regimentation, and social conflict. This 1 percent is the direct cause of the violence, the censorship, the unemployment, and vast amounts of poverty, too.

The State Is the 1 Percent - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Daily

Did you catch RP's interview yesterday on Meet the Press?

Yes, I thought it was a good interview mostly.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I think Rockwell forgets that the U.S. is in the company of third world countries when it comes to income equality.

I think you forget that our poor and middle classes are better off in many cases than the rich of those third world countries.

 

[Twalbert]

Of course, I'm sure the 1% in Argentina and Iran (both in the same range as the U.S.) are having a worse go than our middle and poor classes. Get real.

 

[Oddball]

I think Rockwell forgets that the U.S. is in the company of third world countries when it comes to income equality.

the U.S. also has another thing in common with those 3rd world countries: A bloated, horribly expensive dictatorial central gubmint.

Coincidence?...I think not.

 

[jillian]

I think Rockwell forgets that the U.S. is in the company of third world countries when it comes to income equality.

I think you forget that our poor and middle classes are better off in many cases than the rich of those third world countries.

so? does that change the truth of what he said?

we've got worse income disparity than tunisia.

and you and the people at mises are just fine with that

you live in a world of magical thinking.

 

[truthsaga]

I think Rockwell forgets that the U.S. is in the company of third world countries when it comes to income equality.

I think you forget that our poor and middle classes are better off in many cases than the rich of those third world countries.

so? does that change the truth of what he said?

we've got worse income disparity than tunisia.

and you and the people at mises are just fine with that

you live in a world of magical thinking.

We are seeing the redistribution and the elimination of the middle class from the policies of the last couple decades. This has nothing to do with the mises people calling it how it is. Freedom provides the seeds of prosperity and the fairest distribution of wealth in a society, we are far from freedom and a free market capitalist economy. Free markets can only exist with the absence of government intervention, continuing to blame capitalism since The Great Depression and giving more and more power to the central authority has accomplished nothing.

Actually, it has accomplished the devaluation of our currency and the loss of our freedom.

 

[Inthemiddle]

I think Rockwell forgets that the U.S. is in the company of third world countries when it comes to income equality.

I think you forget that our poor and middle classes are better off in many cases than the rich of those third world countries.

Which is like saying that the least flavorful apple in the world still tastes more like an apple than the most flavorful orange.

 

[Inthemiddle]

Freedom provides the seeds of prosperity and the fairest distribution of wealth in a society

What a load of unsubstantiated horse shit. Leave the romantics for novel writers.

 

[Oddball]

I think Rockwell forgets that the U.S. is in the company of third world countries when it comes to income equality.

I think you forget that our poor and middle classes are better off in many cases than the rich of those third world countries.

so? does that change the truth of what he said?

we've got worse income disparity than tunisia.

and you and the people at mises are just fine with that

you live in a world of magical thinking.

So you'd rather have equality in squalor and misery, rather than to have the disparity where the "poor" have color television, cable, DVD & DVR players, personal computers, indoor plumbing, central heat and air conditioning, a couple of automobiles, washing machines, dishwashers, etcetera....

Figures.

 

[truthsaga]

Freedom provides the seeds of prosperity and the fairest distribution of wealth in a society

What a load of unsubstantiated horse shit. Leave the romantics for novel writers.

You should read the novel "Wealth of Nations"

Substantiate the horse shit argument, please.