In June, the American Enterprise Institute launched a $50,000 video contest to illustrate the moral case for free enterprise. They have posted the finalists and the winners will be announced on 9 October.
I have put up the above video because it explains Say’s Law about as well as anything I could hope to. Watch Susie turn her desire for some object into an ability to buy it by first producing something herself.
[My thanks to Gab for drawing this to my attention and shame on me for not having seen it myself.]
If I wanted Australia to fail, I wouldn’t change a thing.
For me, this epitomises the moral case for free enterprise.
Rudiau
8 Oct 12 at 11:41 am
Ah yes the old lemonade stand as a lesson in capitalism trick.
Imagine if they showed this in schools to counteract all that leftist propaganda?
Trouble is, nowadays the lemonade stand would be shut down by a SWAT team for breaching child labour and several dozen nanny statist food safety statutes.
BTW does anyone else remember that computer game from the eighties, ‘lemonade’ – a text based simulation, where each day you got the weather forecast and the lemon & sugar unit prices, and had to make decisions about how many raw ingredients to buy and what price to charge. The aim was to not go bankrupt and make as much profit as possible.
It was a great way to teach young folk about the wonders of entrepreneurial capitalism. I suppose it’s banned at schools nowadays?
papachango
8 Oct 12 at 11:42 am
Dear Susie
First let me say that lemonade stand business of yours, well you didn’t build it.
Second, I have never been involved in starting up a business venture, not even a lemonade stand, so why should you? And why did you keep all the profits for yourself, you selfish child. [Note to self: introduce taxes on children making money].
Finally, it is now illegal to enter into the lemonade stand business, as papachango pointed out. If only you were on welfare then you could have legitimately bought your bumblebee bag.
Please refrain from any other business ventures in future.
Regards
Barack.
Gab
8 Oct 12 at 11:51 am
there was actually a vid posted on the Cat a while back about the cops shutting down lemonade stands…
it was called ‘illegal everything’ or something similar.
papachango
8 Oct 12 at 12:10 pm
Lemonade stands are an Americanism that doesn’t usually translate to Oz. But a couple months ago some of the kids in my street had an actual real live lemonade stand. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
So being a free marketeer I had to make an excuse to have some lemonade, it was a nice day for a walk so that was the excuse. When I asked what it was for the kids were evasive, so I betcha they lost a dare. Whatever, it was fun, I had my lemonade and wandered off.
Bruce
8 Oct 12 at 12:17 pm
This the video papa?
Rudiau
8 Oct 12 at 12:19 pm
These sorts of businesses are illegal without the required permits from local authorities. Healh issues related to food and drink are part of it. Also children should not be used to make political points. That’s completely reprehensible.
hammygar
8 Oct 12 at 1:05 pm
Alert, troll droppings above, please step around.
Token
8 Oct 12 at 1:10 pm
When I see hammygar, I just read it as Lemmiwinks – the south park school pet hamster who Mr Garrison shoved up Mr Slaves ass to try and get fired.
harrys on the boat
8 Oct 12 at 1:10 pm
That is a great episode Harry.
Token
8 Oct 12 at 1:11 pm
Perhaps it’s best to not reward hammygar with replies.
Gab
8 Oct 12 at 1:11 pm
Hammy would ban home made jam because we’d need a license to reuse jam jars. Are you sure you’re not a European bureausadist Hammy? Maybe you’d also fail children for not regurgitating the acceptible green propaganda Hammy?
If you’re going to troll, try to be a bit more stylish about it Hammy.
Bruce
8 Oct 12 at 1:15 pm
As d’Hamster said, I doubt this capitalistic floosie received a certificate of compliance from the State Bureau of Compliance much less a certificate of Food and Beverage Hygiene from the Federal Department of Food and Beverage Hygiene Safety.
JamesK
8 Oct 12 at 1:18 pm
Has the Hamster been Tilldick’d of which we speak?
JamesK
8 Oct 12 at 1:19 pm
A couple of weeks ago I attended a junior basketball final. Outside the venue was a small fete, at the fete a small girl dressed up as a bee selling homemade lemonade. I bought cups for everyone.
It is difficult for many to understand the beauty of such an interaction (most prefering to legislate against it). Only in Eastern Europe, with the “benefits” of controlled economies still fresh in their minds, are such freedoms still enjoyed, I can’t to return next summer their markets still terrific.
Richard
8 Oct 12 at 1:40 pm
Just spent a year and a half getting a juice/fruit stand through council in my town…
The eventual cart has cost us $10,000 and weighs about 50kg more than it should because of council “ideas” on H&S.
Wheeling it allong the forshore (its just starting to get warm now)people are quick to say “what a great idea, why hasnt anyone else thought of this”.
I proceed to give them a small education in beauracracy.
The best line in my speil comes straight from the planning flunky at the council, “We dont want it getting like Bali down there”… To which the obvious response is “What popular, fun, a place people want to go to?”..
There is a huge amount of small, tiny business which could be reducing government dependence. The costs of complying with councils neuters this.
(Tally for the first weekends business.
Costs approx: $120
Profit: $400
Not going to set the world on fire, but its nice money.
thefrollickingmole
8 Oct 12 at 5:45 pm
Haha, yes… once of those school games I loved playing as a 9-yo. They were cheap crappy computers (even back then), and the game was simplistic, but I liked it as a kid… somehow, I suspect it wouldn’t cut it with kids raised on ipods
Wonder if there are any modern day equivalents?
Fleeced
8 Oct 12 at 6:50 pm
lol… I cut and pasted a totally different quote – but it looks like cut didn’t take… that quoted text was a previous cut from previous comment in another thread… sorry.
Quote was meant to be this:
Fleeced
8 Oct 12 at 6:53 pm
I pay the lad next door to mow my grass when he mows his own. I asked his mum first if it would be okay, and she was fine with it.
I give him $40 because that’s what I’d be paying an adult to do it for, and cutting lawns is still physical labour that I don’t want to do.
And I want him to know that his work at keeping my grass short is appreciated.
His mum felt it was a lot of money, and I could have given him less, but it’s what the job is worth to me.
nilk
8 Oct 12 at 8:37 pm
[...] mentioned a few days back that the American Enterprise Institute had put together a contest for the best short video showing [...]
The moral case for free enterprise – the winners at Catallaxy Files
10 Oct 12 at 10:22 am