Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site mhuxt.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!bellcore!allegra!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!js2j
From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re:Big Corporations "filling the vacumn"
Message-ID: <566@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Feb-85 13:18:03 EST
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.566
Posted: Tue Feb  5 13:18:03 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Feb-85 09:19:48 EST
References: <630@wucs.UUCP> <610@unmvax.UUCP> <458@whuxl.UUCP> <330@enmasse.UUCP> <563@mhuxt.UUCP> <468@whuxl.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 50

> > > not have IBM fill the vacuum, though we could do worse.
> > 
> > This isn't the first person I've noticed who seems to think that if
> > we can get big government off of our backs, IBM (or ANY huge corporation)
> > will just be able to 'step in' and fill the power vacuum.  Sort of
> > like Baron Greenback: "... and in the resulting chaos, *I* will step in
> > and take over the world!"  I've often wondered just how he was going
> > to go about that.  
> >     So I ask: Which of the functions of government which would be 
> > discarded by libertarians would a huge multinational corporation be
> > able to take over?  (With profit, and without losing dozens of class
> > action lawsuits?)  Or is this 'IBM filling the vacuum' stuff just
> > empty rhetoric?
> > Jeff Sonntag
Sevener admits that 'filling the vacuum' was empty rhetoric, and
goes on to another subject: 
> You're right! I am quite sure that big corporations will not enforce
> worker's rights to grievance procedures, the eight hour day, antipollution
> laws, or safety regulations in industry. 
Workers and their unions can take care of their own rights quite nicely,
even without the governments help.  Of course, union floor sweepers in
Detroit might not make 14$/hr, but tons of people willing to work for less
will find jobs.  About anti-pollution laws and safety regulations - is
anyone seriously hoping to discard these?
> On the other hand, as I have previously pointed out, Standard Oil
> at the turn of the century controlled 99% of the oil industry in the
> U.S.  While free market devotees keep trying to wish this fact away
> by somehow ascribing it to "government regulation" they have yet to
> specify exactly what government regulations led to this situation.
    If Standard Oil, through the use of monopoly type power, kept the
price of oil or oil products much above efficient costs, why didn't people
start competing companies in order to make some of the huge profits?  If
they didn't keep the prices high, why are you complaining?
> IBM has been constrained from even greater control of the computer market
> by the successful suit by CDC and other rival computer manufacturers.
    I always thought it was the generally poor quality of their software and
their silly EPSIDIC (sp?) code which kept them from greater control of the
computer market.  Would you mind telling us about this suit, Tim?  I hadn't
heard of it.  
-- 
Jeff Sonntag
ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j
   < Dangermouse stumbles through door, falls in front of giant robot.>
   Robot: You are wise to prostrate yourself before my 50 megabyte floppies.
	  Have you brought a RAM pack assembly for me?
   DM: No, but I've got a pretty sheepish assistant.
   Robot: Unacceptable.  An illogical peripheral with a 17 byte brain.  Where
          are his subroutines?
   Penfold: Uh ... They're in my third drawer down, right next to my wooly
	    vests.