Rents are the goal of the powers that be, to wield power over dependents, dependents who are actually paying you to be dependent.
When we say rent we think real estate, since that is the most pure form. A polity that offers an opportunity for the few to lord over the many is a philosophy welcomed high and low, for as we see from the first recorded instance, 1 Samuel 8, it is natural for most people to assent to kings, "to fight their battles for them." Those who find themselves kings may be astonished to what degree they can wield any power they seek, and then even more astonished at what unsought powers they are given. The amazing revelation is that the low are as happy with the polity as the high. The group that least wanted revolution in Russia were the peasants and serfs. As Eric Hoffer pointed out in True Believer, it is those close to the top or very recently where pushed form the top that want revolution. Never do they really want any change, they just want to be the ones in charge.
Now the problem arises when people, for whatever reason, want to get to the heights as rent seekers, and find their way blocked. Then comes revolutions, most unwelcome in results.
Rent seeking is any attempt to get into that splendid position. IPR is a lite version of this, as are many other mechanisms
All wars are over rents, essentially land. Religious wars, reformation is rents.
Watch out for the new idea. Or, or perhaps just the new idea of a standing army, which inevitalby leads to the military takeover.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
When we say rent we think real estate, since that is the most pure form. A polity that offers an opportunity for the few to lord over the many is a philosophy welcomed high and low, for as we see from the first recorded instance, 1 Samuel 8, it is natural for most people to assent to kings, "to fight their battles for them." Those who find themselves kings may be astonished to what degree they can wield any power they seek, and then even more astonished at what unsought powers they are given. The amazing revelation is that the low are as happy with the polity as the high. The group that least wanted revolution in Russia were the peasants and serfs. As Eric Hoffer pointed out in True Believer, it is those close to the top or very recently where pushed form the top that want revolution. Never do they really want any change, they just want to be the ones in charge.
Now the problem arises when people, for whatever reason, want to get to the heights as rent seekers, and find their way blocked. Then comes revolutions, most unwelcome in results.
Rent seeking is any attempt to get into that splendid position. IPR is a lite version of this, as are many other mechanisms
All wars are over rents, essentially land. Religious wars, reformation is rents.
Watch out for the new idea. Or, or perhaps just the new idea of a standing army, which inevitalby leads to the military takeover.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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