*"Conquest and Culture"* was the first book I read by Thomas Sowell. I have now read six of his books (finished the 6th this weekend) and have three more on my shelf waiting to be read.
Interesting fact I learned: Spanish gold and silver ended up in the Soviet Union during the Spanish Civil War. The communists sent it to the USSR for safekeeping but it was never returned.
@@marschlosser4540 it's more nuanced than that, Franco definitely wasn't a Nazi and could barely be forced into the box of Fascist either. What does this have to do with my comment anyway?
@@joemahony4198 😆 like Lenin said, capitalism is a prerequisite for socialism, because there has to be something to "confiscate" for socialism to finance itself. It's pathetic when your economic, social, and political vision depends on theft, and even then it didn't achieve it's goals.
Not only that. In order to really be wealthy, people have to create goods or services that people want. If your only "product" is money, then money will flow through your hands to the people who produce actual goods and services. You will be "rich" for a short time, but that will not last. That's what happened to Spain, and that's what is happening to the US.
I would not link expulsion of Jews and muslims with a lack of strong middle class. It was rather the dominance of noble land owners in society/politics and taxation on internal merchants/craftsmen as well as peasants. In 15th century Spain had already developed Christian middle class and merchant fleet on par with other countries. The fate of Spain is kinda similar to Polish economy of that time where nobility also dominated and stopped cities from growing in early modern period. And Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth did not expel Jews and Germans that had strong presence in the cities, and still suffered similar fate.
yup the same way polishlithuanian commonwealth worked there wheat was the gold merchants and urban populations had no political power and so commerce was secondary when laws were dictated oh you can read how Copernicus wanted to convince king to not tax creation of currency getting profit from minting it but king didn't want to listen and leave such profit making economy and currency sound so main problem was the land owners monopoly on power but also illiterate in economics rulers 😂
@@szymonbaranowski8184 why didint spain like commerce? thou i still think there is still a link between the expulsion of jews and the moors to why their commerce dipped, the jews and arab people are very good merchants after all, but the downfall of spain is a combination of factors that slowly killed herself as time went on.
Spanish territories in America were not colonies, they were parts of the Spanish empire, and all its citizens were considered as equals under the law and protected by the king, regardless of where they came from.
Well, he is not stating the fact that America was a land of opportunity, without lords and kings. Many Europeans went there, leaving their knowledge out of reach of the old continent.
poor lol ; thing lol; you have been here; its a higher quality of life index ranking Spain 19 , ;than france 26th or united kingdom 22th fo example or you have not been here or you are xenophobe ; Spain is the 4 economy of e.u with more fewer inhabitants than other three and the 14 economy of the world inept.
bullshit Spain went full free market reforms thanks to Franco and had good growth but socialists spoiled it again strong Spain means strong European influence on Spanish speaking Latin America And USA very much doesn't want that... who is empire now dictating rules nowadays again? white blood was a grand gift and blessing to Latin America and Philippines look who does best on their universities lol well in case if Philippines I must add Chinese blood
Well Spain has been destroyed twice. The mountainous geography matters too. And also catholicism, although destructive in the extreme, puts God at the center, and not so much to the extreme rationalism, atnropoegocentric, individualistic and capitalist materialism. That is why, with pros and cons, Spain is a sweet and noble country, of ancient values, where in every corner there is a european echo of the search for beauty and humanism, of the renaissance of platonic antiquity. Things that now the US and the too artificial worlds we are missing, and rightly so.
A total of over 300 people were killed by the inquisition in Spain in a course of over 300-400 years. The Spanish inquisition is highly exaggerated by the British, protestants, and liberals. Most atrocities committed by the Spaniards we're of their own doing through war, caste system, and slavery.
"skilled labour" the lack thereof isn't the suppression of the middle class. Its the lack of advancement opportunities for the working class. Thomas has difficulty acknowledging the importance of the working class, its like a blind spot, meanwhile overstating the importance of the middle class. Only my opinion before folks get all triggered, i have a lot of respect for Thomas, but this blind spot seems to be a reaction to Marxism... prevalent in right wing US politics. But theres also snobbery.....even more accute in the attitudes of liberal-democrats for instance who view themselves as morally superior to uneducated (ie no college degree) manual workers. Spains economy didn't collapse due to the lack of accountants, dentists, tax collectors, advertising executives, middle managers, nor college professors. no no no no no Spains working class enjoyed zero benefits from the influx of gold, none of the wealth trickled down (it never does) in fact they suffered the poverty caused by extreme inflation... caused by the influx of wealth. Wealth disparity will collapse any society sooner or later, thats a blindspot for a lot of otherwise enlightened thinkers, and the intellectuals who advocate more privelidge for tbe middle class are often the very same people who are vehemently against setting a minimum wage.
I think you’re misunderstanding what he means by ‘middle class’. In America the middle class IS the working class. Nobody uses the term working class or describes themselves as such. It’s like the way they use the word ‘public’ to describe schools run by the government. In Britain, it means the complete opposite, and if you don’t know this you end up in a world of trouble when having debates about education. We’re two nations divided by a common language.
west is totally rigged for business with stocks being main part of overall wealth there you do well in USA running business especially corporation with USA gov blessing but as worker even intellectual you are screwed totally since 1970 and dollar becoming world business main currency and denomination of most wanted assets so middle class if not business based is also screwed just look at cost of education in USA 😂 it's aristocracy vs plebs all over again and new Cromwell is on his way for sure
*"Conquest and Culture"* was the first book I read by Thomas Sowell. I have now read six of his books (finished the 6th this weekend) and have three more on my shelf waiting to be read.
Getting into His AUDIOBOOKS.
He's like a fresh waterfall shower.
Interesting fact I learned: Spanish gold and silver ended up in the Soviet Union during the Spanish Civil War. The communists sent it to the USSR for safekeeping but it was never returned.
Franco was a Nazi and were it not for Hitler, he would have lost the Spanish Civil War.
@@marschlosser4540 it's more nuanced than that, Franco definitely wasn't a Nazi and could barely be forced into the box of Fascist either. What does this have to do with my comment anyway?
Socialist stealing gold and silver for the workers paradise.
@@joemahony4198 😆 like Lenin said, capitalism is a prerequisite for socialism, because there has to be something to "confiscate" for socialism to finance itself. It's pathetic when your economic, social, and political vision depends on theft, and even then it didn't achieve it's goals.
@@BaltimoresBerzerker Franco owed his life to Hitler, and the Russians are not going to hand anything over to nazis.
Excessive Power corrupts. When the laborers and tradesmen (small business & middle class) are removed the people suffer.
It doens't matter how much money you have, what really matters is how to take care of this money. This story is great example of this.
Not only that. In order to really be wealthy, people have to create goods or services that people want. If your only "product" is money, then money will flow through your hands to the people who produce actual goods and services. You will be "rich" for a short time, but that will not last. That's what happened to Spain, and that's what is happening to the US.
@@CCoburn3 sorry to say it buddy, but the USA is doomed.
@@joaopedrobaggio4475 I’d say it’s dead already. If we had a press that did more than spew government propaganda, we’d all know the country is dead.
Brilliant man
When you destroy the middle class, in Spain's case 'expel' 🤡🤡
if they are foreigners they weren't their middle class so it needed to happen eventually
I would not link expulsion of Jews and muslims with a lack of strong middle class. It was rather the dominance of noble land owners in society/politics and taxation on internal merchants/craftsmen as well as peasants. In 15th century Spain had already developed Christian middle class and merchant fleet on par with other countries. The fate of Spain is kinda similar to Polish economy of that time where nobility also dominated and stopped cities from growing in early modern period. And Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth did not expel Jews and Germans that had strong presence in the cities, and still suffered similar fate.
yup the same way polishlithuanian commonwealth worked
there wheat was the gold
merchants and urban populations had no
political power and so commerce was secondary when laws were dictated
oh you can read how Copernicus wanted to convince king to not tax creation of currency
getting profit from minting it
but king didn't want to listen and leave such profit making economy and currency sound
so main problem was the land owners monopoly on power
but also illiterate in economics rulers 😂
@@szymonbaranowski8184 why didint spain like commerce? thou i still think there is still a link between the expulsion of jews and the moors to why their commerce dipped, the jews and arab people are very good merchants after all, but the downfall of spain is a combination of factors that slowly killed herself as time went on.
"Those who do not learn from the past..."
Income doesn't define wealth. Expenses does.
An old friend of mine always told me that his problem was not expenses, it was his income, so he decided to get a second job.
When your out-flow exceeds your in-flow.
Your up-keep will be your down-fall.
nope assets define ot
@@szymonbaranowski8184 Runaway expenses can result to loss of assets. Go back to school child. Adults are speaking here.
read my book, Michael's Eyes for a take on Spanish gold folded into the story.
Good one. Why not more like this video?
Spanish territories in America were not colonies, they were parts of the Spanish empire, and all its citizens were considered as equals under the law and protected by the king, regardless of where they came from.
Yes but actually no, indigenous having privileges (can’t get judged by holy inquisition) in contrast to the Iberians or mestizos is not very equal
Well, he is not stating the fact that America was a land of opportunity, without lords and kings. Many Europeans went there, leaving their knowledge out of reach of the old continent.
Billiant.
Great work Dr. Sowell! Scooby snacks for you.
Truth is Spanish gold ended up in the Vatican and the Soviet Union
Um... Yeah.
These are the reasons why Spain is the poorest nations in Western Europe especially they witnessed karma for their evil ways.
poor lol ; thing lol; you have been here; its a higher quality of life index ranking Spain 19 , ;than france 26th or united kingdom 22th fo example or you have not been here or you are xenophobe ; Spain is the 4 economy of e.u with more fewer inhabitants than other three and the 14 economy of the world inept.
karma lol ;then is also passed on to thr british right now lol; or the Americans waso who comtinues opress latinos with your surname ,🤣
Portugal is poorer.
bullshit
Spain went full free market reforms thanks to Franco
and had good growth but socialists spoiled it again
strong Spain means strong European influence on Spanish speaking Latin America
And USA very much doesn't want that...
who is empire now dictating rules nowadays again?
white blood was a grand gift and blessing to Latin America and Philippines
look who does best on their universities lol
well in case if Philippines I must add Chinese blood
Well Spain has been destroyed twice. The mountainous geography matters too. And also catholicism, although destructive in the extreme, puts God at the center, and not so much to the extreme rationalism, atnropoegocentric, individualistic and capitalist materialism. That is why, with pros and cons, Spain is a sweet and noble country, of ancient values, where in every corner there is a european echo of the search for beauty and humanism, of the renaissance of platonic antiquity. Things that now the US and the too artificial worlds we are missing, and rightly so.
Another element that added to the problem was the relentlessly brutal pursuit of enemies of the Holy See by the Spanish Inquisition.
A total of over 300 people were killed by the inquisition in Spain in a course of over 300-400 years. The Spanish inquisition is highly exaggerated by the British, protestants, and liberals. Most atrocities committed by the Spaniards we're of their own doing through war, caste system, and slavery.
bullshit and historical myth
these persecutions are super estimated by anglo-propaganda.
..."a lack of human capital"... a nice way of saying "Laziness." ?
I believe they call it a siesta
@@Krontok Na ja, Ich glaube their "lunch hour" used to run from noon to 3 pm. 🙂
The Spaniards enslaved Indians and worked them to death. I understand why fans of modern capitalism admire this.
it means no need to work
as the goal of work is to later not need to work
@@szymonbaranowski8184 🙂 I think work is forever..... except on the seventh day....
23rd, 9 January 2023
"skilled labour" the lack thereof isn't the suppression of the middle class. Its the lack of advancement opportunities for the working class. Thomas has difficulty acknowledging the importance of the working class, its like a blind spot, meanwhile overstating the importance of the middle class. Only my opinion before folks get all triggered, i have a lot of respect for Thomas, but this blind spot seems to be a reaction to Marxism... prevalent in right wing US politics. But theres also snobbery.....even more accute in the attitudes of liberal-democrats for instance who view themselves as morally superior to uneducated (ie no college degree) manual workers.
Spains economy didn't collapse due to the lack of accountants, dentists, tax collectors, advertising executives, middle managers, nor college professors.
no no no no no
Spains working class enjoyed zero benefits from the influx of gold, none of the wealth trickled down (it never does) in fact they suffered the poverty caused by extreme inflation... caused by the influx of wealth.
Wealth disparity will collapse any society sooner or later, thats a blindspot for a lot of otherwise enlightened thinkers, and the intellectuals who advocate more privelidge for tbe middle class are often the very same people who are vehemently against setting a minimum wage.
your comment is out of context
He *actively hates* the working class, as most antiMarxists do.
I think you’re misunderstanding what he means by ‘middle class’. In America the middle class IS the working class. Nobody uses the term working class or describes themselves as such.
It’s like the way they use the word ‘public’ to describe schools run by the government. In Britain, it means the complete opposite, and if you don’t know this you end up in a world of trouble when having debates about education.
We’re two nations divided by a common language.
west is totally rigged for business
with stocks being main part of overall wealth there
you do well in USA running business especially corporation with USA gov
blessing
but as worker even intellectual you are screwed totally since 1970 and dollar
becoming world business main currency
and denomination of most wanted assets
so middle class if not business based is also screwed
just look at cost of education in USA 😂
it's aristocracy vs plebs all over again
and new Cromwell is on his way for sure
@@hendrixisgod777 so what's lower class in USA? 😂