From: "Albert P. Franco, II" <apf2@apf2.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 16:51:51 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: RE: dbts: Privacy Fetishes, Perfect Competition, and the Foregone (fwd)
Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19981107091528.00922620@apf2.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



>From: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
>Subject: RE: dbts: Privacy Fetishes, Perfect Competition, and the Foregone
(fwd)
>
>Forwarded message:
>
>> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 12:34:34 -0500
>> From: Petro <petro@playboy.com>
>> Subject: RE: dbts: Privacy Fetishes, Perfect Competition, and the Foregone
>>  	 (fwd)

>
>> 	In other words, a Black market is when you trade either illegal
>> goods illegally, or legal goods illegally.
>
>Too strict and unrealistic a definition of black market.

I would add the clause illegal goods (apparently) legally. This covers the
case where stolen property is moved through legitimate channels. Even if
the government doesn't restrict and legitimize the channels there must be
restrictions on theft and inappropriate acquisition (fraud) of goods (and
services) otherwise the result is not free-market, but rather barbarism and
brute force rule.

Under the "free-for-all" definition of free market, the final result would
actually be slavery (since you wouldn't produce the items that I keep
stealing from you unless I hold a gun to your head), and war (in order to
get resources I can pay or I can steal, since I don't like to pay, I'll
just get a bigger army and steal it from you). Sounds drastic? There are a
few examples today in the parts of Africa controlled by warlords.

>
>> 	If there are no illegal goods, and there is no regulations limiting
>> trading, then the black market cannot exist.
>
>Of course not since we've now legitimized theft and murder with your
>definition.
>
Nothing is EVER black and white. And free-market can never be 100% free or
it will cease to be a market.

APF