05-15-2008, 06:59 PM
Quote:However, I firmly believe educators are currently underpaid compared to the market value of the service they render. Their pay doesn't reflect their value within society. That is, after all, the point you started off with, correct? "Useless" jobs getting paid more than "useful" jobs like teaching? Therefore, it stands to reason that if you let the market dictate teacher salary, it would increase over what it is now - they'd be being paid fair value for their service, no more and no less.
I don't think that is going to happen. In an ideal world maybe yes, but in reality not I am afraid. Take all those millions of people at the bottom of society. They will absolutely not be able to afford education, and a large part that can't afford will chose not to because other bills need to be paid. (this is all in line with the conclusion after almost every thread here on the lounge that says that people are stupid). Free market doesn't work for these things.
Take health care; in Holland health care insurance was privatized not to long ago....it for sure hasn't gotten any cheaper.This might also have to do with the fact that fusion after fusion, there are only two or three insurance companies left...in a while it will maybe be only one....what then....let a chinese company come in??
Quote:I'm not an economist, I'm an engineer, so correct me if I'm wrong but basic Economics 101 suggests to me that the price point for a product would be where they can make the most money. It's highly unlikely that this point would exclude a large number of people. Yes, you can charge 2 bucks a glass for a lemonade stand and sell two glasses a day because you're adorable. But charge 25 cents a glass and sell twenty glasses and you come out ahead.
This (also replying to occhi) is a 'failure' of these economic theories. They hold, but don`t take into account long term gain in prosperity for all (simple economic growth (dollars) goes hand in hand with population growth).