Re: Free enterprise

["Troy Merrill" <troy1@moscow.com>]

Douglas,

It has been a while since I read Rousseau, and don't anticipate having the
time to brush up on my reading in the near future, but having walked out on
the plank I'm willing to take the plunge.  The particular social contract to
which we are party owes much to Rousseau, but there have been many other
influences, negotiated compromises and some silly mistakes.  Instead of
spending our bits on a discussion of Rousseau perhaps we could agree that
equal opportunity to access social goods is a fundemental principle of this
society and see where the discussion goes from there.  Admittedly this
principle has never been fully realized but I feel there has been, in most
periods of our history as a society, a desire to realize the principle of
equal access evidenced by continuous expansion of social franchise to women,
minorities, persons with disabilities, and increasingly to gays and
lesbians.

Troy Merrill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas" <dougwils@moscow.com>
To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 8:55 AM
Subject: Free enterprise


> Visionaries,
>
> Troy says: "A fundamental principle of the social contract to which we are
> all parties . . ."
>
> You have begun to address the question we have been asking since the
> beginning of this meandering debate, back when we were first talking about
> the government schools and where all the kids had gone. We have been
> asking, relentlessly, what standard is being imposed upon us.
>
> You are saying, if I understand you correctly, that the basic standard is
> that of Rousseau Is this a fair conclusion?
>
>
> Cordially,
>
> Douglas Wilson
>
>