Data Talks

"Intelligence is correlated with good performance in virtually all domains...general mental ability predicts occupational level attained and performance within one's chosen occupation and does so better than any other ability, trait, or disposition" https://t.co/C6ZA38bKCM pic.twitter.com/gBQLoL8AbE

— Rob Henderson (@robkhenderson) May 19, 2021

Socialists see this as a disaster based on a worldview of single dimension competition.  Classical Liberals understand this not to be a problem owing to comparative advantage.  No matter how excellent we might each of us be in any number of fields, comparative advantage ensures that you will always be better off by cooperating and working with others who are less productive or proficient than yourself.  From Wikipedia:

David Ricardo developed the classical theory of comparative advantage in 1817 to explain why countries engage in international trade even when one country's workers are more efficient at producing every single good than workers in other countries. He demonstrated that if two countries capable of producing two commodities engage in the free market, then each country will increase its overall consumption by exporting the good for which it has a comparative advantage while importing the other good, provided that there exist differences in labor productivity between both countries.  Widely regarded as one of the most powerful yet counter-intuitive insights in economics, Ricardo's theory implies that comparative advantage rather than absolute advantage is responsible for much of international trade.

Socialists envision an enduring war between the haves and the have nots owing to their absolute advantage blinders.  Comparative Advantage means that both the haves and the have nots will each be better off if they choose to work together, even if the haves are more efficient at every activity.  

In the 204 years since Ricardo's counterintuitive insight, every generation tends to revert to the naive socialist view of class warfare militated only by the clumsy actions of an all powerful redistributive state.  And every generation ends up relearning the hard way that the capitalist system of free markets is just another name for human cooperation, specialization and improved prosperity for all.  

A tragedy avoided by simply understanding Comparative Advantage. 

It is a complex idea, but once understood, it makes sense.  Imagine the misery which could have been avoided if every high school student were instructed and drilled in Comparative Advantage.  It would help put a break on the misery of ignorant reversion to Socialism.