>If you don't understand the fundamental
>economic principle that resources are
>scarce,

Money is not a resource. Land, capital, labor, those are resources.

Money is not scarce. You can print as much money as you want to. Read stuff on the federal reserve system. Understand basic economics first.

and as such, any
>such grossly disproportionate distribution of
>wealth has the consequence of
>a gross absence of wealth
>somewhere else on the graph,
>then I don't know what
>else I can say...

It's not a zero sum game, and there are more than enough resources on this earth to feed and clothe everyone.

Read about Julian Simon. an economics professor. Mako on the daveyd board says.
_________________________

There is no shortage of food in the world. Food production has outgrown the birth rate by more than 20% over the last few years. In fact, some of the *poorest* and *hungriest* nations in the world have way more than enough food. India, for instance, grows more food than any other nation in Asia (aside from China). Unfortunately however, India exports over 200 tons worth of food OUTSIDE their own nation to other countries. Why do this when so many starve? Not even for the influx of cash, its to preserve a market theory that says a certain number of exports are necessary to keep the world economy going. Foreign nations encourage this cycle. Some of the world's hungriest nations: India, China, Pakistan, etc...export TONS of food that could be used to feed their own people. In the US alone the exports of food could feed the 40 million with no assets many times over. Its been estimated that with the amount of food in the world every man, woman and child could eat at least 6 pounds of food a day. If meat were cut from the diet (as in Germany), these numbers would balloon since animal grazing costs more food than it creates. Does this make sense? And yet still today people talk of *wasting food* or *limited resources* when they really know little about food production.
___________________________________________________

Here's a link on population growth and natural resources.
http://www.acton.org/publicat/randl/95mar_apr/simon.html

Please read and respond with facts that state your case.

The scientific and market evidence have shown that even with increasing #'s of people, we aren't running out of resources.

So even if Bill gate's paper wealth was actual material wealth, it wouldn't put a dent into how resources are distributed across the globe.

>Yeah, Europe also did that whole
>using humans as capital thing...got
>analysis?

I'm not saying that the Euro's have got it all right. In fact, when you really look at their governments and policies and how they run their businesses there are lots of problems.

>However, European programs
>also ensure that all students
>get some type of education
>in terms of learning a
>skill that can be utilized.

We call it public education. There are more than enough public and private sources to send the vast majority of people into a trade school or college.

> Some kids are meant
>to be academics, others want
>to be carpenters. The
>Euro school system makes sure
>that every child has some
>type of skill before he
>or she is tossed into
>the workforce and forced to
>occupy service industry jobs only,

The result is still that a lot of young graduates of trade school or college still face terrible job markets. Check their unemployment stats. Compare that to America.

>unlike here, and the statification
>would only get worse with
>vouchers.

Vouchers wouldn't have a major effect. Read about the Milwaukee 10 year history with vouchers.

>>Someone who teaches math and history,
>>vs someone who can save
>>my life?
>
>Where do doctors and lawyers come
>from?

So you teaching a class of first graders, a job you trained at the most 4 years for, with 1 year of student teaching, equates to someone who spends 7-10 years of training?

Teachers are underpaid, but they are in no way as valuable to our society as doctors. That's not to say that teachers are without value. Probably one of the most important jobs in our society, but doctors, farmers, and a few others are as important, if not more important.

>>>- Capitalism has failed Africans around
>>>the world.
>>
>>See thread on black capitalists.
>
>Been there, done that, don't agree.

So you're saying that black folks owning their own businesses, employing their own people, and conducting trade with one another is a bad idea? I'm sorry but I have to disagree.

>But how do we embrace a
>system we didn't invent,

Timbuktu. Songhai... there are countless examples of black capitalism all over the globe and throughout history.

peace
k. orr