Enjoying Polish Capitalism
Cross-posted to Bureaucrash, here is a little story where I meet the most authentic Polish Capitalist!
I am back from Warsaw where I went to speak at the Libertarian International 2008 Spring Conference. What a great trip that was. I'm looking forward to meeting my new friends again. Hooray to the Instytut Ludwiga von Misesa for its defense of Capitalism!
But I met the most authentic Polish Capitalist in Warsaw yesterday while buying cherries from a street stand. Cherries and strawberries are so much tastier in Eastern Europe than they are in the USA! I was wearing my "Enjoy Capitalism" T-shirt, and the street seller told me, in English "I like your shirt". After walking away, I realized this was a poor guy probably without much education, but he learned enough English to be able to muster this opinion; he loves capitalism, and he is the kind of Entrepreneur that deserves more respect than he gets, the authentic Capitalist who works outside the "protective" racket of State. And so I turn back and I offer him my T-shirt. Happily, I had a sweater, for the guy was feeling awkward about giving me his dirty T-shirt in exchange - I took some more cherries instead. Time to buy a new shirt. My polish friend will tell me if he wears it next week (I hope it fits him).
Poland is a lovely country full of extraordinarily friendly people (albeit few speak English). They love Liberty, though they don't always understand it. If you go there, be sure to visit the impressive Museum of the Warsaw Uprising -- it's moving and well worth my $100 donation. Not that I condone the polish-catholic cult of Martyrs: I believe it's better to live and let live for liberty than to die and kill for liberty. Of course sometimes the former alternative isn't available anymore. In any case, long live Polish Capitalism!