We Are an Aberration

Excellent short post at Assymetrical Information (ie. Jane Galt):

The appalling poverty of Sri Lanka or Mozambique is not some bizarre aberration that can be tracked to a cause we can cure. We are the aberration; Sri Lanka and Mozambique are the normal state of human history.

Then in comments is a long and fascinating discussion on colonialism, its history and effects, and capitalism. Very engrossing stuff.