Self sufficiency the road to poverty? | General Homesteading Discussion | Forums

Thanks B!

It's an interesting theory on several levels and may have implications on individuals as well as a society. On an individual level, i think it we all know a guy or guys that are a jack of all trades but master of none....very self reliant/sufficient type. I imagine they have less of a need for trades and services than a specialist and thus have less need to make higher incomes as they do the work themselves.

On a societal level, a specialist who is a master of one area, needs other specialists to fulfill his needs in the areas in which he is lacking. The specialist must earn a higher income (and has a desire to earn) to fuel the other specialists.

The point? Is self sufficiency good for the individual? Probably. Is it good for a society and its economy? Not so much I think. That being said, I would imagine its in the interest of govt to keep an eye on the progression of homesteading and the self sufficiency movement as they generate much less taxable revenue and have less desire to engage in income generation.