Which way should people increase their wealth? Force or Trade?

Question

There are 2 ways to increase your wealth. One of them is through force, which includes crime, war, government handouts etc. The other is through voluntary mutually-agreed-upon trade.

Which of these is more efficient? Which one is the moral choice?

Answer 1

Force is more efficient. Look at Nazi Germany--they were VERY efficient with their forced labor and number-tracked workers (no unions, benefits, time off, fair hours, wages, etc.). The moral choice, of course is honest trade.

Answer 2

That's actually a trick question. Force is a zero- or negative- sum game. You may be able to get more than you had before, but someone else loses at least as much as you gained.

Trade, OTOH, can be a positive sum game - that is, the total amount of wealth in the system can increase. After a legitimate trade, both parties are better off than they were before (otherwise, they wouldn't have gone through with the trade).

Answer 3

We have come to far as a species to have to deal with force still. We should be looking at trade as a way of making ends meet. Thou this does not always work being that a group of people will not always benefit from trade

Answer 4

Actually, FORCE is more efficient. Trade is the moral choice. BUT, Trade is often more cost effective as well.

Answer 5

No question about it, it is trade on both accounts. Some individuals might not be better off, but as they say, a rising tide raises all boats.

Answer 6

Since the goverment takes more then a third of our paycheck and then uses that money to keep using the threat of force to take more money, force seems more effective.