The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) – A Treaty of Debt

October 30, 2011 · Posted in Global Economics · 1 Comment

So long as people give moral justification to organized aggression, namely the concept of government, there will be governments. So long as there are governments they will grow and grow until they completely cripple the economy they are leeching on or until they become unable to meet obligations entered into, triggering a reset.

In the long run, government power always tends towards centralization, with more and more power consolidated with fewer and fewer people, with less and less representation of the governed in the process.

It is true that, prompted by public ire from past failures, bureaucrats have throughout history devised methods to try and limit and balance state power through things like constitutions, bills of rights, balance of powers, parliaments, etc. What these measures have accomplished has been to slow down the growth, centralization, and overreach of the affected governments, but they have happened nonetheless, and with catastrophic results in many respects one could argue (1.4 million dead Iraqis might agree with me, just to bring up ONE example).

This is why even a limited government is so dangerous, because all the wealth and economic growth it brings about simply supplies more potential tax loot and thus sets the stage for more and more taxation and indebtedness, and an all the more gigantic and imperialistic state. (This is, by the way, why in the long run, after having suffered from repetitive government depredations again and again, at some point people will have to accept the validity of voluntaryism.)

These are the theories that I have been working with for years now, and there is plenty of historical evidence over the past millennia to corroborate them. The most prominent current example is of course the federal government in the United States, which has grown from a tiny government (about 7% of US GDP back then with lots of sovereignty for individual states) to the largest, most powerful, and most imperialistic government in the history of mankind, with more and more power being centralized in Washington, with Democrats and Republicans complicit in skillfully supplying their respective reasoning in their respective areas of public policy in order to consolidate power in the fields of social and military policies, respectively.

Another contemporary example is of course the European Union. Brussels represents what Washington has been in US history. Each individual crisis has been supplying and will continue to supply Brussels bit by bit with ammunition to expand its powers over member states in their endeavor of building a European Empire.

The ESM that is being discussed now fits right into this pattern and you can find out more about it in this informative clip:

Tags: esm, eu, europe, european stability mechanism, european union, eurozone

Peter Schiff @ Occupy Wall Street

October 30, 2011 · Posted in Politics · Comment

Some people there are actually curious and open to debate and new ideas. Others are just a completely hysterical and embarrassing disgrace for any movement that claims to espouse change, peace, and freedom for all.

I thank them for making complete fools of themselves on video for the world to see. You’ll know what I mean when you watch it …

Tags: occupy wall street, ows, peter schiff

Chinese Property Owners Smash Showroom in Protest over Falling Prices; The Chinese Housing Bust is Underway

October 29, 2011 · Posted in Global Economics · 1 Comment

Disgruntled over falling prices, Chinese property owners smashed a showroom:

A group of around 400 homeowners in Shanghai demonstrated publicly and damaged a showroom operated by their property developer after the company said it cut prices. Home buyers had wanted to speak with the developer to refund or cancel their contracts but were unsuccessful, according to local media. One report said the price cuts exceeded 25% per square meter.

Property ownsers protest in China

That’s 25% overnight, mind you!

MarketWatch notes that the bubble has begun to burst:

Take a look at the Chinese situation. The bubble has been as big as any we’ve seen.
(…)
Ten years ago, homes in Shanghai sold for about six times an average family’s income. Today that’s 13 times. Shenzhen has gone from five times to 14 times. These are off-the-charts absurd ratios. This is a bona fide mania.

And it works fine until the music stops.

Where are we now?

Prices have started falling. Now, fewer than 46 of 70 major cities saw prices stall or decline in September, reports the National Statistical Bureau. As recently as January the number was just 10.

And the FT writes China property developer warns on price falls:

A 30 per cent drop in property prices would precipitate a collapse in fixed investment in China and the country’s investment-driven economy would experience a so-called hard landing after years of annual growth above 9 per cent, according to UBS economist Wang Tao.

There will be no magic cure for China’s housing, stock, and credit bubbles. Prepare for a hard landing in China and thus a hard landing in stocks and commodity prices (except gold) …

Tags: china, china property bubble, housing in china, real estate china

Enforcing Behaviors in a Stateless Society?

October 23, 2011 · Posted in Philosophy · Comment

“How can desired behaviors be enforced without a state?” you may ask.

Well, the greatest force that keeps the the state alive is voluntary moral condemnation and ostracism of all those who dare to question its necessity, and their ensuing voluntary desire for acceptance by means of conformity.

Thus the existence of the state is in itself the best possible proof that desired behaviors are totally enforceable voluntarily, that is without the existence of a state!

Tags: anarchism, stateless society, voluntaryism

On Forgiveness

October 23, 2011 · Posted in Philosophy · Comment

Culture, society, nay the whole world is ailing in bloodbaths and perpetuated cycles of corruption and abuse, all caused by irrational ideas held and passed on by the worst bullies, sociopaths, and megalomaniacs.

Those who do evil always know in their heart of hearts how guilty they are. Should we then be surprised about the fact that they have sold us “forgiveness” as such a cherished, respectable and almost universally lauded virtue?

I firmly believe that their era is coming to an end and a new one dawns. What we make of it is up to us.

So to make the world a better place, good people should not make forgiving others their objective. They should do all those annoying, “nasty”, and unpopular things: They should absolutely point fingers, play “the blame game”, judge, and condemn those who have done them emotional and physical harm. They should make them earn forgiveness if anything, but not dispense it here and there as if it could be willed into existence upon request like a genie.

Tags: forgiveness