>What people are you driving down?

I sit on the steering committee of a network of community tech centers. The network was established to share resources since each site gets up to 600k, over 20 years, from a city-managed trust for hardware and other tech resources. The network managed to establish strategic partnerships to get T-1 access to every site (for example). Now, the network is incorporating to manage the trust money for the city and leverage additional funds but they are in fact competing with the individual sites for $$$ because they are soliciting funds from the same pool of funders. The individual sites don't have a chance and many are struggling to operate.

The whole reason I sit on the committee/board is to make sure my site, a multimedia center, is on board to get any resources the network/organization gets, as well as the 60k every three year cycle. I am wearing two hats. However, I think the incorporating network is in danger of being ineffective. Competing with the individual centers waters down grant proposals and other requests for resources.

>E.g. Capitalism (contrary to the common myth & cliche) does
>not create more poor people.

No but it maintains the status quo in many ways, esp. psychologically. The "pygmalion effect" or self-fulfilling prophecy (haves and have nots) helps to maintain "divides". The disenfranchised remain that way while wealth is controlled by a few. Capitalism only works when there is a divide.

>Finally, competition drives people to excellence. To do
>better than my competitor, I have to provide a better
>product or service, doing so doesn't mean that I'm
>unethically driving my competitor out of business.

However, the reason I have the better product is because of my access to better resources. Distribution and placement of these resources is not always equitable.

>So, its called competition? The fact that everyone can't win
>at something is a fact of life, it isn't a negative or a
>reason not to do something in the first place.

I agree to some extent but first there has to be a level playing field. Then, let's see who comes out on top. Many capitalists take advantage of disparity.