Billionaires threatening to leave

@wildgrass said
It's kinda common sense innit?

True story: This happened in reverse to someone I know in upstate New York about 20 years ago. He owned a thriving hardware store but foot traffic vanished when a Home Depot megastore opened a few blocks away. He made ends meet by renting tools and heavy equipment for a while but in the end there was nothing he could do.

that scenario doesnt answer this...

"Companies like Walmart stifle competition. If they leave, mom-and-pop shops indeed flourish, increasing competition and consumer choice."

@Sprogladog said
For me it boils down to egalitarianian and collectivism. Within that the quality of health, education, work-life balance and levels of democracy and maybe a tiny sprinkle cultural stuff like the arts and history.

You?

This is great. Marauder all over!
Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. Your definition of “great” is pretty clear: egalitarianism, collectivism, healthcare, education, work-life balance, democracy, and a little culture and history.

Mine is different. I would put individual freedom, opportunity, economic mobility, personal responsibility, innovation, security, and the ability to build something through your own effort near the top of the list. I would also include the ability of a country to attract ambitious people from around the world and give them the opportunity to succeed.

I dont think equality of outcomes isthe measure of a great country. I think equality of opportunity is much more important. (Read that somewhere…it is true)If two people are given the same opportunity, I don’t believe the government should be responsible for making sure they end up in the same place. If you respond to only one thing in this post, I wish it would be that sentence.

I also value the things you mentioned—good healthcare, good education, democracy, culture and history. But I don’t automaticallly equate government provision of something with greatness. The question for me is whether the system actuallyproduces a prosperous, free, secure and opportunity-rich society.

So now we’ve got something interesting to debate. Were not really arguing about whether a country is “great.” We’re arguing about what makes a country great in the first place.

You have your measuring stick. I have mine. Let’s put the countries against both and see what happens. 😄
Not verbose, please. Please no longer than what I just typed. I just cannot do those voluminous posts… I skip all of them.

@AverageJoe1 said
This is great. Marauder all over!
Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. Your definition of “great” is pretty clear: egalitarianism, collectivism, healthcare, education, work-life balance, democracy, and a little culture and history.

Mine is different. I would put individual freedom, opportunity, economic mobility, personal responsibility, innovation, security, and the ab ...[text shortened]... lease no longer than what I just typed. I just cannot do those voluminous posts… I skip all of them.

Tldnr