Re: Does a well functioning political system require people to be good?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2025 8:03 pm
NOT being taken into account (societal values)
Humans are strange critters (when only economic analysis used). What we VALUE is determined by what is valued in our society. People who are assuming that the really wealthy would object to their riches being stolen (-- oh I meant taxed) to support the needy are not taking that into account. They are mistaking extreme wealth and status because in THIS society, extreme wealth confers status.
That's right, the DIRECT utility of marginal money is close to zero once more than "a lot". The person with ten million wants twenty million not because can (usefully) get more things with it but puts him or her up into THAT class.
Well human societies have managed to function valuing being allowed to wear certain colors or certain kinds of hats. Or just being known as a "big man". Or look at the PUBLIC reward for righteous doing in Isaiah 58:12 --- titles/honors work. My memory fals with the details, but in classical Greece didn't some city reject the offer of a very wealthy courtesan fund the necessary wall repairs precsely because that would have conferred on her that status.
Dekanawidah and Hiawatha (if they were real people) got the "Haudenosaunee" confederacy to work (acceptance of equal say even though some tribes were much stronger than others ) by compensating the leaders of the strong tribes with ceremonial percs < they were a ceremonious culture, valued such honors >
Humans are strange critters (when only economic analysis used). What we VALUE is determined by what is valued in our society. People who are assuming that the really wealthy would object to their riches being stolen (-- oh I meant taxed) to support the needy are not taking that into account. They are mistaking extreme wealth and status because in THIS society, extreme wealth confers status.
That's right, the DIRECT utility of marginal money is close to zero once more than "a lot". The person with ten million wants twenty million not because can (usefully) get more things with it but puts him or her up into THAT class.
Well human societies have managed to function valuing being allowed to wear certain colors or certain kinds of hats. Or just being known as a "big man". Or look at the PUBLIC reward for righteous doing in Isaiah 58:12 --- titles/honors work. My memory fals with the details, but in classical Greece didn't some city reject the offer of a very wealthy courtesan fund the necessary wall repairs precsely because that would have conferred on her that status.
Dekanawidah and Hiawatha (if they were real people) got the "Haudenosaunee" confederacy to work (acceptance of equal say even though some tribes were much stronger than others ) by compensating the leaders of the strong tribes with ceremonial percs < they were a ceremonious culture, valued such honors >