The Rent Seeking Economy
Rent seeking can't and won't last. You don't need to go very far - just read <a href="http://reason.com/archives/2013/04/14/the-end-of-power" rel="nofollow">http://reason.com/archives/2013/04/14/the-end-of-power</a> on the frontpage today (the comments suck however - they basically try to deny the fact that for humanity as a species, the last century has been the best ever)<p>The basic idea stands - too many people have more comfort, want too many things, and are harder to control - and now more than ever.<p>The solution to rent seeking is basic capitalism, as in the use of reason.<p>Ayn Rand style capitalists do worry about the letter and the spirit of the laws and of a contract, because they know it is in their best interest. They are not into rent seeking because they know the end results.<p>She said that beautifully : "I am not primarily an advocate of capitalism, but of egoism; and I am not primarily an advocate of egoism, but of reason. If one recognizes the supremacy of reason and applies it consistently, all the rest follows."<p>Ayn Rand theory and work can be seen as one implementation of John Rawl theory of justice. He added a 2nd part about equality, but he also deconstructed the opposition between freedom and equality.<p>Basically, you only need a good premise, then you can work on it. The premise here is reason.<p>The only real "competition" could be from a belief not based on reason, such as racism or a kind of religious fondamentalism - but not any kind as explained by John Rawls, just the kind incompatible with democracy. I'll put islamism in that bag (the basic idea of stoning to death women who had sexual relation outside of marriage in this day and age is not very palatable to me).<p>Anyway, the remedy is the same for both diseases - science (and the occasional readings of libertarian books)<p>If you have ideological problems with Ayn Rand, read at least about John Rawls veil of ignorance on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Theory_of_Justice" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Theory_of_Justice</a>