Why acts of Charity was the free market principles in action

[Robert A Whit]

I tend to credit those doing the giving buying things to give. Thus it is free market principles in action. Can you imagine some toad giving somebody used shorts? I believe a lot of new merchandise went to the storm victims.

But hell no, according to some, this was not free markets in action.

I guess the purchases don't count.

[tailfins]

I tend to credit those doing the giving buying things to give. Thus it is free market principles in action. Can you imagine some toad giving somebody used shorts? I believe a lot of new merchandise went to the storm victims.

But hell no, according to some, this was not free markets in action.

I guess the purchases don't count.

Do you mean a toad named Bill Clinton?

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1993_1174468/clinton-s-old-clothes-used-as-tax-write-off-value.html

[Robert A Whit]

Do you mean a toad named Bill Clinton?

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1993_1174468/clinton-s-old-clothes-used-as-tax-write-off-value.html

Yup. Salvation army and goodwill sell that stuff.

Thanks for that. I was laughing so hard. :clap:

[Kathianne]

I tend to credit those doing the giving buying things to give. Thus it is free market principles in action. Can you imagine some toad giving somebody used shorts? I believe a lot of new merchandise went to the storm victims.

But hell no, according to some, this was not free markets in action.

I guess the purchases don't count.

It's no different than writing a check to the Red Cross or adding to the kettles at Christmas for the Salvation Army. YOU earned your money, you can choose which charities and how you are going to donate, if you do so at all.

The money you send to the Red Cross is used to buy supplies or pay salaries. The same with the money to Salvation Army. In this case, folks acted in place of government and even charities, buying then donating to others. No expectation of anything upon the recipient.

[Robert A Whit]

It's no different than writing a check to the Red Cross or adding to the kettles at Christmas for the Salvation Army. YOU earned your money, you can choose which charities and how you are going to donate, if you do so at all.

The money you send to the Red Cross is used to buy supplies or pay salaries. The same with the money to Salvation Army. In this case, folks acted in place of government and even charities, buying then donating to others. No expectation of anything upon the recipient.

So, you want to claim that those doing good and purchasing products for those victims were not a party to a free market?

Then when people give, don't you believe they get something back?

Come on.

[Kathianne]

So, you want to claim that those doing good and purchasing products for those victims were not a party to a free market?

Then when people give, don't you believe they get something back?

Come on.

What do they get back of material value? That's what contracts are about in the free markets.

You 'come on.' No one is arguing that purchases by charities don't impact the economy. What we HAVE been saying from the get go, that giving to charities or organizing local food or clothing drives or setting up college funds for children are not in and of themselves parts of the free market.

You're just being obstinate, which I suppose is dandy. However, it would make more sense to drop this than keep at it, IMO.

[Robert A Whit]

What do they get back of material value? That's what contracts are about in the free markets.

You 'come on.' No one is arguing that purchases by charities don't impact the economy. What we HAVE been saying from the get go, that giving to charities or organizing local food or clothing drives or setting up college funds for children are not in and of themselves parts of the free market.

You're just being obstinate, which I suppose is dandy. However, it would make more sense to drop this than keep at it, IMO.

Do the buyers at Walgreen sign contracts to engage in the free market?

Apparently you think none of the givers bought anything in the free market.

Oh well. I know different. I can live with your not comprehending.

What to givers get in return?

Good will?

Satisfaction?? A return need not be cash.

To wit: I go to Walmart and buy something. I get no cash. And if I donate it, I get no cash. The human being gets rewards in other than cash or even merchandise.

[Kathianne]

Do the buyers at Walgreen sign contracts to engage in the free market?

Apparently you think none of the givers bought anything in the free market.

Oh well. I know different. I can live with your not comprehending.

What to givers get in return?

Good will?

Satisfaction?? A return need not be cash.

To wit: I go to Walmart and buy something. I get no cash. And if I donate it, I get no cash. The human being gets rewards in other than cash or even merchandise.

Good will, satisfaction, warm fuzzies, doing good for the Lord, haven't a thing to do with free markets.

At this point Robert, I'm done with this. Horse, water, force, impossible.

[logroller]

Do the buyers at Walgreen sign contracts to engage in the free market?

Apparently you think none of the givers bought anything in the free market.

Oh well. I know different. I can live with your not comprehending.

What to givers get in return?

Good will?

Satisfaction?? A return need not be cash.

To wit: I go to Walmart and buy something. I get no cash. And if I donate it, I get no cash. The human being gets rewards in other than cash or even merchandise.

i can't walk into Walgreens, grab stuff and walk out-- I understand there is an implicit contract or agreement involved, and I am required to pay for it. Likewise, the checker can't just take my money and tell me to leave without the goods-- there is an agreed upon set of expectations, an implied contract. These contracts are an important feature of a market economy, but that doesnt mean Walgreens is a free market-- the prices are set by the seller, not supply and demand.
Although giving to charity is done freely, its not a market. A market is any place where buyers and sellers of a good or service can meet for a potential exchange. Free markets are those places where the price is set purely by supply and demand.(in theory) The buyer bids on a good or service and, if the bid is favorable, the seller accepts. like a stock market.

[fj1200]

Oh geez.


I tend to credit those doing the giving buying things to give. Thus it is free market principles in action. Can you imagine some toad giving somebody used shorts? I believe a lot of new merchandise went to the storm victims.

But hell no, according to some, this was not free markets in action.

I guess the purchases don't count.

Are you really this daft?


To wit: I go to Walmart and buy something. I get no cash.
Right, you exchange cash for goods.

And if I donate it, I get no cash. The human being gets rewards in other than cash or even merchandise.
Right, you exchange cash for nothing.

I bolded the difference for you. Charity is not a marketable good that you can turn around and sell.

[Kathianne]

I'm pretty sure I said I was done with this thread. Sorry, LA posted something that made me want to ask Robert, "Does robbing someone and then spending the money qualify as a free market exchange?"

http://www.debatepolicy.com/showthread.php?37866-quot-Redistribution-quot-of-wealth-A-very-misleading-term


..."Redistributing" is a politician's way of implying you did NOT earn your money, and so it's not really yours. And pretending that his deciding what to use your money for, is the natural order of things. Not the idea that since you earned it, YOU should decide what to use it for. He's trying to get you away from that idea.

A man who jerks you into an alley, sticks a gun in your face, and demands you give him your money or he'll blast you, is doing the same thing that politician is. The only difference is, the guy with the gun is being more honest and straightforward about it. He's not pretending you owe him anything, and not trying to get you to believe that what he's doing is "moral", and not trying to fool you into thinking that your keeping your money is eeevil.

Next time some politician or forum member tells you he wants to "redistribute" the wealth, remember what he's really saying. And remember that in some ways you'd be better off with somebody sticking a gun in your face.

[fj1200]

^Free market in action baby. :eek: