Can ANYONE name a SUCCESSFUL country with a LIBERTARIAN ECONOMY??

[Rshermr]

So good to see you agree. Since hong kong says that it is not it's own country, it is not.

Hong Kong Government says it's a city.

..
Yup, they do. Thank you. And they say that HK is part of china. Glad to see you agree.

So, we have established that:
1. Hong kong is a city of the PRC.
2. There is no source that says it is libertarian.

Unless, of course, you consider yourself your own source.
But there are many that say it is not libertarian.

So, I am sure you will keep working at it. But all reputable sources say HK is a mixed economy. A "primarily" market economy. As is the US. And many others. But no reputable source suggests that they are libertarian economies. Just libertarian tools try to make that assertion.

 

[AmazonTania]

So good to see you agree. Since hong kong says that it is not it's own country, it is not.

No where did it say that it's not a country. It's already been established that it's a city-state, which is also a country.

You're wrong and you've run out of ideas.

So, we have established that:
1. Hong kong is a city of the PRC.
2. There is no source that says it is libertarian.

Unless, of course, you consider yourself your own source.
But there are many that say it is not libertarian.

You mean that blog you posted a while back? LMAO! I've already provided sources which shows that Hong Kong is 'libertarian.' As long as Hong Kong has Free Markets and Free Trade, it's a 'libertarian economy.'

Hong Kong, independently of China, participates as a full member of several international economic organizations. The United States and Hong Kong both belong to the World Trade Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and Financial Action Task Force. Hong Kong is an articulate and effective champion of free markets and the reduction of trade barriers.

Hong Kong

So, I am sure you will keep working at it. But all reputable sources say HK is a mixed economy. A "primarily" market economy. As is the US. And many others. But no reputable source suggests that they are libertarian economies. Just libertarian tools try to make that assertion.

As long as we have sources which shows that it's a Free Market, it's a libertarian economy.

All we have are just your ignorant assertions which says otherwise.

 

[Sallow]

Hong Kong is not a city-state.

It does enjoy a certain amount of autonomy. But as many of the people that lived their under British rule found out, China runs the show.

 

[Sallow]

Why are there no libertarian countries? If libertarians are correct in claiming that they understand how best to organize a modern society, how is it that not a single country in the world in the early 21st century is organized along libertarian lines?
The Breakthrough Institute - The Failure of Libertarianism

Plenty of those who voice what a great idea libertarianism is. But no libertarian country. Hell, we even have a libertarian devote who is having islands MAN MADE to be run as libertarian entities. Now, if that is not devotion, not sure what is.

So, it would seem obvious that being a libertarian is an exercise in futility. Why does that Libertarian utopia never happen??

But it does have a purpose. If I can make the ignorant believe, why, hell, I could get RICH!!! Who cares about libertarianism.

There are no libertarian governments because governments thrive and prosper on control not liberty.

To a certain extent?

This is correct.

 

[AmazonTania]

Hong Kong is not a city-state.

It does enjoy a certain amount of autonomy. But as many of the people that lived their under British rule found out, China runs the show.

Wrong, on both counts.

Owing to its long history as a colony of the British Empire, Hong Kong is a city-state which continues to enjoy a high degree of autonomy even after its return to China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong

 

[Rshermr]

So, Amazon says hong kong is OBVIOUSLY libertarian.

Yup. Must be libertarian. So, No Trade Unions. Libertarian economies would not allow unions, of course.

Big news on the labor front. Yesterday, port workers in Hong Kong ended a 40-day strike after winning a 9.8% pay increase.

UH OH. Free housing. Libertarian blasphemy. Then trade unions and strikes. More libertarian blasphemy.
First, poor amazon can find no one to back up her claim that Hong Kong is a libertarian entity. Now THIS.

Well that must be all, though, eh amazon..........Well, there is that whole minimum wage fight. No libertarian economy can have a minimum wage. But, but....

Back in 2010, Hong Kong workers had a landmark victory against usurious capitalists when they earned passage of legislation mandating a minimum wage

Can NOT BE. Because Amazon, herself a libertarian, is out there with no independent sources saying that HC IS libertarian. But MINIMUM WAGE. Must be a misprint. It is not possible to be libertarian and have minimum wage.

But Amazon says hong kong is libertarian. Because, well, she thinks she knows more than all the economists do. Because, of course, she is delusional. But it is run by free market capitalists, at least, right. Has to be. Actually, it would need to be run by libertarians. That must be it. Right???
Well, not exactly:

Hong Kong is run by communist Chinese oligarchs and state-appointed leaders, despite being a Free Economic Zone.

Hell, that about does it. Who let those guys in. Oh yeah, they own HC. Amazon kind of forgot that. BUT THEY DIDN'T. They only let the autonomy go as far as they want it to.

More than half of the population earn less than HK$11,000 ($1,400; £920) a month and household incomes have barely increased over the past 10 years despite a booming economy.
Daily Kos: Hong Kong: The not-so-free market darling of conservatives (HK port workers strike, win pay raise)

And, of course, amazon minimizes the free housing. So, lets look. I am sure we will find that it is just a tiny percent of hong kongers who get housing assistance:

Many poor Hong Kongers live in sub-standard housing such as Tam Kin Wai.
Away from the shimmering skyscrapers, many Hong Kongers live in poverty
To help people survive on such low incomes, the government provides public housing to about 50% of the population.

Now that just can not be. Tania says all is GREAT in hong kong. She did not mention that over half of the residents get housing assistance. Free housing is just not LIBERTARIAN.

But maybe that is just like other countries. Say the UK.

It is a far higher proportion than in the UK where less than 10% live in subsidised housing, but is beaten by Singapore, another supposed bastion of economic liberty, where about 85% of people live in public housing.

RuuuRoooo. Now what. Free housing to HK AND SINGAPORE. Are we ever going to find a libertarian economy????????? Maybe we are starting to see why they are building those man made islands.

Well, maybe we should here from a far right wing type. One who supports the drive toward libertarianism that was thought to exist for the first few years:

"Although we deviate less from the laissez-faire model than other countries, our government is increasingly adopting a nanny state mentality," says Peter Wong, executive director of the Lion Rock Institute, a free-market think tank.

Nanny state, UH OH. We know that nanny state characteristics do not mix with libertarianism. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. NEVER

Well, yeah. But the people must love this great economy. Amazon says it is WONDERFUL. No protests like in more socialist leaning economies. But, AH SHIT. Here we go again.

In July last year, 200,000 people marched to voice their dissatisfaction over the widening gap between rich and poor and the high property prices.

In the face of these pressures, the government is adopting a more populist stance. Welfare spending has doubled since 1997 and last year's budget included a cash giveaway for each permanent resident of HK$6000.

Can you believe it, Tania. Welfare is NOT TO EXIST in a libertarian economy. PERIOD. But it is doubling. DOUBLING in just a few years. It is BLASPHAMY!!!! Now, this should get a few f words out of you. Damn. And free cash. NO WAY in a libertarian economy. What a letdown.
BBC News - Is Hong Kong really the world's freest economy?

But at least they have no antitrust legislation. And no government meddling in business, right?? Well, actually, NO:

Perhaps the most intriguing change, although little noticed so far, is a new monopoly law, a draft of which was entered into the government records on July 2nd. In principle, such a law should foster competition. In practice, it is likely to extend the purview of the state into private business, not least mergers—while leaving established monopolies, often associated with the government, entrenched. Behind the scenes some of these have been busily seeking exemptions.

Uh oh. This is getting old. Not more socialist policy!!! A libertarian economy would NOT ALLOW ANTITRUST LEGISLATION AND ALL OF THIS GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION INTO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE!!!
Hong Kong's economy: End of an experiment | The Economist

Now, while all of the odec countries have gov provided health care, we can at least be sure that can not happen in HK. Right???
Shit. Here we go again.

Residents can access the public health-care system at facilities operated by the Hospital Authority. Insurance is not necessary for those eligible.

Damn, say it ain't so. Well, the thing is, you probably have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get gov provided health care, right??? NO???

Hong Kong’s public health-care system covers anyone with an HK identification card, children under the age of 11 with resident status and those approved by the Hospital Authority chief executive

So, all hong kong residents, kids from ANYWHERE, and others approved by the health authority. My god, what kind of libertarian dream is this. Who has been lying to you, amazon. You should send a few f-words their way.

But maybe it is a libertarian dream. Nightmares are dreams, too.

 

[Rshermr]

Hong Kong is not a city-state.

It does enjoy a certain amount of autonomy. But as many of the people that lived their under British rule found out, China runs the show.

Wrong, on both counts.

Owing to its long history as a colony of the British Empire, Hong Kong is a city-state which continues to enjoy a high degree of autonomy even after its return to China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong

Uh, I see a little problem. There were over 30 mentions of the word city. Mostly calling HK a city. And one that said city state. But that would be wrong. You should NEVER quote wikipedia without checking out what they say. It is, after all, an editable source. As you know. So, lets see:

City-State
city-state noun (Concise Encyclopedia)
Political system consisting of an independent city with sovereignty over a fixed surrounding area for which it served as leader of religious, political, economic, and cultural life. The term was coined in the 19th century to describe ancient Greek and Phoenician settlements that differed from tribal or national systems in size, exclusivity, patriotism, and ability to resist incorporation by other communities. They may have developed when earlier tribal systems broke down and splintered groups established themselves as independent nuclei c. 1000–800 BC; by the 5th century BC they numbered in the hundreds, with Athens, Sparta, and Thebes among the most important. Incapable of forming any lasting union or federation, they eventually fell victim to the Macedonians, the Carthaginians, and the Roman empire. In the 11th century the city-state revived in Italy; the success of medieval Italy's city-states, including Pisa, Florence, Venice, and Genoa, was due to growing prosperity from trade with the East, and several survived into the 19th century. Germany's medieval city-states included Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck.city-state noun (Concise Encyclopedia)
Political system consisting of an independent city with sovereignty over a fixed surrounding area for which it served as leader of religious, political, economic, and cultural life. The term was coined in the 19th century to describe ancient Greek and Phoenician settlements that differed from tribal or national systems in size, exclusivity, patriotism, and ability to resist incorporation by other communities. They may have developed when earlier tribal systems broke down and splintered groups established themselves as independent nuclei c. 1000–800 BC; by the 5th century BC they numbered in the hundreds, with Athens, Sparta, and Thebes among the most important. Incapable of forming any lasting union or federation, they eventually fell victim to the Macedonians, the Carthaginians, and the Roman empire. In the 11th century the city-state revived in Italy; the success of medieval Italy's city-states, including Pisa, Florence, Venice, and Genoa, was due to growing prosperity from trade with the East, and several survived into the 19th century. Germany's medieval city-states included Hamburg, Bremen, and Lübeck. The only city-state extant today is Vatican City.