[net.politics.theory] What is an egalitarian society?

josh@topaz.ARPA (J Storrs Hall) (02/11/85)

>In my opinion, all articles defending libertarianism fail in one point:
>	IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DEFEND THE EXISTENCE OF MONEY
>	IN AN EGALITARIAN SOCIETY.

Hmmm.  I don't see how it is possible to have an egalitarian society
without money.  (note to flamers: I am not making any assertions here
one way or the other about whether it is *desireable* to have an egalitarian 
society.)  

Consider two persons, Sam and Joe.  Sam fixes cars.  Joe raises cabbages. 
Now suppose Sam hates cabbages and Joe's car works fine.  How are we to
equalize them?  How to determine which is richer, and thus take some
of his output and give it to the other one?  With money, the task is 
easy.  Without it, we are left comparing (quite literally) apples and
oranges.

--JoSH