Libertarian’s Corner:

The Real Kings

 

Joseph S. Fulda

Joseph Fulda is a freelance writer living in New York City. He is the author of Eight Steps Towards Libertarianism.

It has been observed that the successful businessman may become genuinely wealthy, while even the best professional can aspire only to be comfortable. Is that fair? Let’s see.

Employers can fire people at will. Consumers change brands at whim. Employers may choose to farm work out to India to save 50 percent. Consumers may switch brands or products to save 5 cents. Employers may select an employee because he or she has a sweeter disposition. Consumers try different junk foods because they have more sugar or less sugar, more calories or fewer calories, more fat or less fat, more carbs or fewer carbs, or just because. Employers may ask their employees to wear silly uniforms. Consumers may prefer pink packaging to blue one day and the exact opposite the very next day. Employers may not tolerate someone who is late a few times. Patrons may walk out of a restaurant if the service is too slow the very first time. Employers may fire someone who talks back too often. Consumers may leave a store because they just don’t like the way the proprietor “looked at them.” Employers may not give employees even two weeks’ notice. Consumers virtually never give any notice. Employers may not even tell the employee the real reason he is being let go. Consumers virtually never give any reason for their preferences. Employers may often not pay bonuses, more than the salary agreed on up front. Consumers never offer more than the price asked up front.

Employees may have to strive to impress their employers so that they don’t go looking for someone new. Businessmen must run continuous lobbying campaigns—advertising—to maintain consumer loyalty. Employees may ask for a second chance. Businessmen generally don’t even know whom to ask. Employees may appeal to their employer’s sense of decency. What businessman can persuade a customer that switching brands, products, or stores is “indecent”? Employees may have sworn rivals who want their jobs. Businessmen don’t even know who their rivals are until a market research company is paid to tell them. Employees may have to best their rivals. Businessmen don’t even know what their rivals have over them till another market research company is paid to tell them. Employers sometimes act like kings. Consumers do what they want, when they want, and with whom they want. They are kings.

That is why successful businessmen get paid more than successful employees, why a “good head for business” is rewarded so much more than “good professional aptitude” or “outstanding intellectual capacity.” Yes, employees must suffer employers, and I do mean suffer, with few appeals and little recourse. But businessmen have to take it all from the consumer, with no appeal and no recourse. That is why the successful businessman deserves to be paid more than the successful professional.     *

“There are a hundred things to single you out for promotion in party politics besides ability.” –Will Rogers

We would like to thank the following people for their generous contributions in support of this journal (from 11/18/2004 to 1/12/2005: Ariel, John G. Barrett, James B. Black, Jan F. Branthaver, Walther I. C. Brent, Harold E. Bryant, Irma I. Clark, AMI Communications, John D’Aloia, James D. Denton, Richard A. Edstrom, Andersen Foundation, Paul V. Gadola, Philip Gilmore, Anthony Harrigan, Paul J. Hauser, John H. Hearding, Dr. & Mrs. Patrick R. Huntley, Marilyn P. Jaeger, O. Guy Johnson, O. Walter Johnson, Robert R. Johnson, Ken E. Kampfe, Paul W. Kampfe, Michael Kaye, Frank G. Kenski, Gloria Knoblauch, Thomas F. Kordonowy, Robert M. Kubow, John S. Kundrat, Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Lane, Allyn M. Lay, Harris G. Lee, Gregor MacDonald, Cary M. Maguire, Eugene F. Meenagh, Henry M. Mitchell, Dwight D. Murphey, James S. O’Brien, B. William Pastoor, Mr. &  Mrs. Mark Richter, George M. Tony Sayre, John M. Segal, William A. Shipley, Dave Smith, Clifford W. Stone, Michael S. Swisher, Johanna Visser, Thomas Warth, George M. Wheatley, Gaylord Willett, Donald Wilson.