Ebear, I'll respond to you since you are educated. The poster to whom I originally responded seemed to be blaming the "uneducated" people of Zimbabwe (he still thinks it's Rhodesia!) and other similarly, according to him, uneducated peoples.

I didn't get that at all from Kerrisdale's post. I believe he was just being sarcastic with the Rhodesia comment. The basic point he made was:

Sure Larson is a racist it seems but these countries need to walk a fine line between giving up everything to uneducated people or letting the rich exploit everything

A point I agree with.

I was reminding him(and maybe others) that the masses lack of education was and is engrained in policy which was and is meant to keep them that way in order for the rich and educated to continue holding the reins.

Funny how the rich and educated always seem rise to the top, no matter what political system you adopt, or what means you implement to change that fact. You may replace one group of rich and educated with another, but you just can't seem to get rid of them - they keep popping up. I think that says something very basic about human nature.

If we accept that aspect of human nature, and don't waste our time trying to create a "New Soviet Man" then the problem becomes one of distribution of wealth and education, for which there are two broad approaches: incentive based, and "equalization" through force.

Here in the West we have a hybrid which roughly resembles Kerrisdale's "fine line" The government (bless their souls) redistributes a part of my income to the disadvantaged (who are often hard to distinguish from the undeserving) and lets me keep enough (barely) to put to whatever use I deem appropriate. I can choose to squander it on booze and loose women, or I can put it to productive use, build something for the future, and then squander it on booze and loose women. Or I can just keep on building and not concern myself at all with booze and loose women (which would be a very sad state of affairs).

The point is, I have a choice. Limited perhaps, but better than being run roughshod over by the "equalizers" who'll use every means at their disposal to ensure I remain "equal" that is to say POOR, relative to them, who of course form the natural leadership of the New Order owing to.... wait for it..... their education, and wealth.

I don't see any way around this, do you?

Our particular issue is muti-faceted, and I agree with you that it is now many of these same 'uneducated' ones that now have their usual burden of poverty become a lot heavier by having the rug of hope pulled.

Throughout history though, that has been the lot of many peoples around the world. Some of us that don't know better, find it easier to blame the victims.

I didn't get the impression that Kerrisdale was blaming the victims. He simply pointed out a basic fact of modern life: the principle of the Fine Line, which any Social Activist or World Improver ignores at their peril.

ebear