Comments on: non-gov response

By: Metulj

Metulj — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 01:26:05 +0000

Manish: “And that is that people starve to death. One has to remember that although the free market has a solution to all of our problems, there is no guarantee that we will like the results.”

Neo-Malthusian at its dullest. Remember: The only moral that any business has to abide by (to paraphase Uncle Milty) is to make a profit. Mass population death eliminates profit potential for obvious reasons.

So, I was sitting in my Natural Hazards seminar today and the professor was enumerating the many small businesses that specifically cater to disaster relief. Body bag manufacturers are an obvious one, but the main revenue stream for these business is providing three things: portable power, potable water and canteen services as contractors to NGO and the government.

As a matter of fact, there are contractors who receive money for merely being prepared, not just going on to the scene when it happens. Another tidbit: How many disasters happen per year in the US? According to the Red Cross, about 45000. According to FEMA, about 60-70. It is all a matter of scale.

By: Manish

Manish — Tue, 06 Sep 2005 21:08:20 +0000

I can’t find it again, but MaxSpeak had something a few months ago about the free markets response to a lack of food. And that is that people starve to death. One has to remember that although the free market has a solution to all of our problems, there is no guarantee that we will like the results.

By: SayUncle

SayUncle — Mon, 05 Sep 2005 18:16:48 +0000

I would concur but we small l types get lumped in that category regularly.

By: Xrlq

Xrlq — Mon, 05 Sep 2005 17:59:51 +0000

I agree with Kevin, du Toit’s question sounds like it was aimed at those who think government had no proper role in the disaster at all. Which is fine, I suppose, if you want competing, private armies under separate, competing commands to compete for business in an area that already resembles a war zone.

By: Kevin Baker

Kevin Baker — Mon, 05 Sep 2005 16:09:03 +0000

I think Kim was directing his question towards the An-Cap anarchists and assorted Randians who believe that altruism is the root of all evil.

By: damaged justice

damaged justice — Mon, 05 Sep 2005 15:57:27 +0000

A commenter on Kim’s post wrote: “As for natural disasters, folks used to pitch in — pass the hat, or hie themselves off to the scene of trouble bearing blankets and hot soup, or whatever else seemed to be needful. That wasn’t ‘the market’, it was a case of voluntary action.”

Any voluntary action is part of “the market”.

Commies to the left of me, commies to the right of me…