JPH: You are correct! Didn't I say this in my earlier post? (You, too, must be a genius !)

wizofaus: Yep, if we keep this up we will be just like that paragon of capitalism; the US of A (God Forbid !)

I must say, I'm glad the posters here don't buy into this stupidity. Far too many influential people have bought into the theories of classic economic libertarianism without genuinely questioning the direction it is taking society.
The abject failure of socialism has meant that the other extreme of economic theory - as extreme and unpractical as it may be - can't be voiced as a balanced alternative to classic libertarianism, thus the advocates of free market economics effectively get a free ride, and those who oppose the unfettered approach are accused of being socialists.
Their economic vision will take us down a very unpleasant path, and unlike socialism, there isn't a centralised power base that can easily totter, and wiht markets being global in nature, it means we are going to be in for a very rude awakening when this system is taken to the extreme.

Hey TurnRightThenLeft, good post!

Why don't we put the shoe on the other foot and ask all these free-market pundits to tell us where they think this is all headed?

Let them put up their ideas of the natural, practical projections of their world view and the "conclusions" it would reach. Some countries give us a hint at where Australia might head (look at USA & Brazil as two examples where the free market has really produced a wide gap between rich & poor).

I'm not an economist, but I know they love to theorise....how about they put up same hard facts and scenarios for us to debate? Is it "Big Brother"; or a a feudal society (with capitalist Kings, Barons and the rest as peasant surfs)?

Anyone got any readings and suggestions for us hoi-polloi to ruminate upon?

how come the moderator is not taking this thread off line i strarted a thread ,pedophiles still rape the forgotten australians , and their was starting to get hits on it yet the moderator took this off the site , so i know break into your debate work relations well ,the goverment employed workers in institutions that raped and abused us children while under the staes care , thats right the goverment is protecting these dirty kiddy touchers, give some response to that from a real victim of the forgotten australians kind reards micheal

huffnpuff, I don't know why it was taken down, though I do note that many of your posts are written in an unstructured disjointed manner that is hard to follow, or worse, in capitals, which many (myself included) find very annoying.
I know that sounds pedantic and it's the message itself that's important, but if you write in a manner that's easier to follow it will help your cause.
It may be an emotional topic, and I dare say that emotion is justified, but if you speak in a more rational manner it will get you further.
I don't say this to be harsh even though it sounds that way, I say it to try and help.

Hijacking threads won't help. As I said, I don't know what the situation with your thread is, though I do know there are currently legal proceedings in relation to incidents in foster homes.
I would suggest it may be likely you have either identified a person or an institution and in doing so, you have either been defamatory, or risked identifying a minor or a victim of a sex crime.
This carries heavy penalties and the site operators would have no choice except to remove the post.

I'd suggest you perhaps plan out a post to start a thread, avoiding mention of specific cases/individuals if you want to discuss it further.

Illuvatar, in relation to things to read - the best book on these matters I ever read, was a book called 'The Worldly Philosophers.'

For my two bob - it's quite a common book and is available from any major online chain - it was interesting because it was readable - it just told the lives of all the major economic thinkers from Adam Smith, to Karl Marx and others, and outlined the effects their theories had on the world.
Many of them led pretty wild lives, I can tell you. They were some pretty good yarns.
It was a short read and doesn't have any of that economic jargon and sludge that can be so damn hard to wade through.

turn right turn left thanks for your advise, it may help me as i am not computor expert , i find it hard to even type , i understand what you are saying , and yes you maybe right as to the post i have been saying yet ,the forgotten australians is a inquirie that was done in august 2004 and a second report done in march of 2005, as it is i dont know how the moderator of this site can be in any trouble as it is i ,i am talking about and i hope of having the door open for the forgotten australians , i was a victim of daruk boys home in 1977and 1978, so where is ive not mentioned nobodies name other than my own , and that the goverment is covering up the truth of what happend to victims like myself , and this is the truth , read the senate inquires and you will see it was not only i a victim at the hands of these pedophiles yet i only mention of what i conceive as a cover up of our australian goverment whether it be labour or liberal, they both need to step up to the plate and own up to the truth ,