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Subject:Re: commercialization of the Web From:George Allaman <georgea -at- CSN -dot- NET> Date:Sun, 5 Nov 1995 16:42:44 -0700
Not quite. In my experience, quality IS higher in non-capitalistic countries.
As examples, look at the Metro (subway) in Quebec - which is more
socialistic than it is capitalistic, whatever anybody says. Look at the
terrific way that the Canadian Federal government funds and otherwise
supports the arts - and let's not forget the Australian Film Board, or the
former Soviet Union's subsidy of the performing arts, to name a few of the
more visible examples.
In general, I would say that when the decision to subsidize or not to
subsidize is left to the people, the answer is not to subsidize, and vice
versa. Cuba is a bad example simply because it hasn't the resources or the
benevolent dictatorship to provide quality anything. However, I believe that
things would be even worse there if it were a democracy, given the isolation
from any subsidy by a larger government, which is all the saves most of the
other Caribbean islands.
I say this because I lived in Montreal for three years and the Caribbean for
five.
At 02:14 PM 11/4/95 -0700, David Blyth wrote:
>Hi again;
>>WHile this surely doesn't spell the end of public broadcasting by any
>>means, I think it clearly illustrates that, in a capitalist society,
>>which, face it folks, we are, you can't expect quality to win out,
>>unless enough people want to put their own personal out of pocket money
>>where their mouth(es) is(are).
>Forgive me, but the implication is that quality is much higher in a
>non-capitalist society. Perhaps we should all move to Cuba.
>Or to put it another way, quality hasn't won out since Germany lost
>World War II - if not longer. Still, I myself continue to try for
>quality, even when it means taking money out of my own pocket.
>One has to live with one's own conscience.
>David (The Man)
>Technical Writer
George
________________________________________________________________
George Allaman ][ <Witty, meaningful quip which |
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