Bill Gates, one of the most influential men in the history of the United States, believes only the ideology of socialism can save the world from climate change. Gates, the former fighter against government turned statist, believes the private sector is generally inept when it comes to research and development and coming up with energy alternatives.
Speaking in an interview with The Atlantic, Gates urged many of his fellow billionaires to help make the United States entirely fossil-free by the year 2050 with philanthropy similar to his. However, at the same time, he decried the efforts of the private sector, which would include charities, non-profit organizations and non-government-funded philanthropies.
Here is what Gates told the digital newspaper:
There’s no fortune to be made. Even if you have a new energy source that costs the same as today’s and emits no CO2, it will be uncertain compared with what’s tried-and-true and already operating at unbelievable scale and has gotten through all the regulatory problems.
Without a substantial carbon tax, there’s no incentive for innovators or plant buyers to switch.
Since World War II, US-government R&D has defined the state of the art in almost every area. The private sector is in general inept.
The climate problem has to be solved in the rich countries. China and the US and Europe have to solve CO2 emissions, and when they do, hopefully they’ll make it cheap enough for everyone else.
Without the ingenuity of the private sector and its own R&D capabilities, we wouldn’t have most of the stuff we enjoy today, like Microsoft Office and smartphones.
Gates should be reminded of a superb quote from Ludwig von Mises, who said (we’re paraphrasing) that the biggest dangers to the socialists are when their friends aren’t in power.
Photo by World Economic Forum.
The subject is environmental, climate, big, as in only something befitting government on a holistic scale, all private sector interests collectively. Something all are invariably impacted by, and hardly by choice. Not comparable to privatization or market models about product or service R&D. Apples and Oranges, not a relevant comparison. Go sit down and shut up, or the whole truth will be knocking you down soon enough, Mr. Moron.s
Yes indeed! Let the REAL WAR begin. And we’ll all find out just who will still be standing and who will be runing off with their tail between their legs and egg on their face. Arent we??? Think I’m long on confidence and short on substance? Then make a move, any move and prove it. Lol…