Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 00:08:29 +0300 From: Adrian Ciobanu <crystal-AT-ansit.ro> Subject: Re: Russia and Eastern Europe's path to Capitalism Andy wrote: > It is important to realise that the rhetoric about free markets and > competition is just rhetoric. The aim of these big corps is to run > monopolies or at least cartels. > This becomes very clear when you are a wittnes to the birth fo capitalism . The monopolies are bought with political influences and bring to their owners very big bucks. We have a telecomunication monopoly , owned by a greek enterprise , so we have the biggest phone bills in Europe ..(at least the most expensive ones ;( ) , an energy monopoly , etc . Later the owners try to become more customer friendly ( respectable ) , but the lack of care remains , like in all our institutions ... > > >From your point of view, though, are there opportunities as well as threats? Oportunities ? Maybe a long term mistrust of the people in capitalism ...But for now , just bitter exploatation ... > > >From what I've read, one of the problems of your governments is the complete > inability to collect taxation and track the passage of money and work. Does > this give opportunities for black and grey economic activity, and barter? Or > is access to resources completely tied up? Very big oportunities ! The mafiot activities are prospering , and many small "legal" firms have a way or another to avoid paying the full taxes . And the people who should check them out , are even more corrupt ... Another big problem is the non competitve state owned enterprises , which the governement wants to close , but is affraid ... You can't just close a factory with 40.000 or more workers ...you'll have a serious riot ...So , the state keeps "forgetting" their debts , on the public money . Of course , i don't agree with the closing , but is a must ...the people should be compensated with more money ...and that's it ....wild capitalism .. More dangerous for our fragile economy is the IMF and WB attitude ...they give us very few money , and ask a lot ...More of that , they force us not to encourage economy development by lower taxes ...no way ...(as a comparation , Romania got about 700 - 800 mil $ in 10 years with harsh conditions and Poland got about 40 billion $ in the last 15 years , and all her debts were erased ! ...let's just do not remember East Germany which got 1000 billion ... ) Well , it's just world imperialism at work ... -- "The arms of criticism cannot replace armed criticism." Friedrich Engels
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