Re: [Gnu-arch-users] OT: Slavery???

[Peter Conrad]

Hi,

On Mon, Nov 24, 2003 at 04:39:19AM -0600, Charles Duffy wrote:
> On Mon, 2003-11-24 at 03:45, Peter Conrad wrote:
> > This is wrong: most contracts work very well without enforcement, and
> > most would even work without the possibility of enforcement. That's
> > because a contract usually is a win-win situation for the involved
> > parties (if it wasn't, why should the losing party agree to the
> > contract?) [1].
> 
> Ahh, but would they work if there were also no *threat* of enforcement?
> 
> It may be to my advantage to purchase a car on a payment plan for
> $200/month -- but it would be far more to my advantage to drive off and
> pocket the $200.

this boils down to risk management. If the car dealer runs a high risk of
losing the car he will not offer you such a contract. OTOH, if very few
people "drive off" he'll be able to make a profit, so he might take the
risk.

That's what credit card companies do: they accept a certain amount of fraud,
because if they don't the only remaining option is to shut down their 
businesses.

Bye,
        Peter
-- 
Peter Conrad                        Tel: +49 6102 / 80 99 072
[ t]ivano Software GmbH             Fax: +49 6102 / 80 99 071
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Germany