Socialism and other EEEEVIL Things in Costa Rica

There was a comment left on my blog the other day. And I am not one to edit or moderate comments. Say what you want. I also tend to join in the discussion there as well as answer questions posed by readers.

A reader made a comment that I will quote here and try not to take out of context. If you want to read it in context just look at Saturday's Pic post. It read "As much as I want to visit Costa Rica, it is a socialist country" I guess that would depend on how you define socialism. Webster says " a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole." I don' think that defines Costa Rica. Lots of capitalism going on here. On my less than 1/2 mile bus ride to work I regularly pass a guy selling strawberries off his three wheeled bike/wagon contraption, a family run fruit stand and about 4 people selling jewelry they made. Then 2 different guys selling vegetables and fruit out of the back of their trucks. Not to mention the guy with the station wagon full of eggs and a loudspeaker on the roof announcing "Huevos!!!" at 6am in some sort of twisted homage to The Blues Brothers.

There is socialized medicine here. It is kinda wrapped into social security and you are taxed on it out of your paycheck. Hmm just like in the USA. All legal residents and citizens can use them. . And there are also private hospitals and private medical programs. Where I work there are a lot of Gringos and others that do not qualify for the free public hospitals. But in our building there is a doctor, a dentist, a psychologist, and a pharmacy. All free to employees. And you can add your family for a small fee a month. Even private health care is cheap. I had to get an eye exam and new lenses in my old frames (ok I like em a lot) cost me a grand total for exam and lenses $24. Polycarbonate lenses with scratch proof coating. Custom cut to fit my frames. All while I waited. A mammogram (I dont need one) will set you back about $20 if that. I pay less for medical services here than I would my co-pay in the US.

I am not an advocate of socialized anything. And every country has to come up with its own solutions to its problems. Differences in culture will prevent one solution from working everywhere. What they have here works. Everyone gets 10% off the top of their check. And that is it.

Costa Rica has freedoms here that Americans have decided that they will give up one way or another. Paint your house like you want, if your neighbors don't like the color they might talk bad about you, but they wont sue you nor will they sic that petty bunch of busy bodies known as the home owner's association on you. Want to add a room to your house? Add a floor, build some apartments on the vacant lot you just bought? Well do it. No need to get any permits and no need for that washed up general contractor turned building inspector to come by and look at your handiwork. Do buildings fall down? Yes. Do they catch fire? Yes. In the US where there are laws to prevent shoddy building practices, buildings fall over, buildings catch fire and people die but there are no petty govt types getting in your business, unless your new apartment building falls over onto your neighbors new bedroom. Want to leave a junk car in front of your house? A pile of bricks you don't need?Not into the whole landscaping thing? Just let it grow to be 3 ft tall if you want. No one will say anything so just do it. Someone might take the bricks. Lock the junk car or you might find a bum sleeping in the back seat in the morning. Traffic laws got you down? Ignore them. There are no cops here that specifically enforce traffic laws. Does it make for interesting driving? Damn right it does. Then again ever been on LBJ Freeway in Dallas?

There is a sense of freedom from regulation and government bs and red tape that I cannot recall in the US. I like it. People just doing their own thing, making money, raising babies and watching soccer. Can't imagine what the egg guy would say if he were told he would need a permit from the health department to sell his eggs. He has a good product, he knows if he sells bad eggs his customers will spend a day in the john and then find a new guy to buy their eggs from. Profit is the motivation here not regulation.