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From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Newsflash! [JoSH on Socialis
Message-ID: <879@mmintl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Dec-85 23:42:18 EST
Article-I.D.: mmintl.879
Posted: Tue Dec 10 23:42:18 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Dec-85 19:19:22 EST
References: <266@meccts.UUCP> <4340005@csd2.UUCP>
Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT
Lines: 38
Summary: 


In article <4340005@csd2.UUCP> sykora@csd2.UUCP (Michael Sykora) writes:
>> . . .  It is impossible to do ANYTHING
>>without polluting at least a little bit.  Where do you draw the line?
>>More to the point, HOW do you draw the line?  I have yet to see a
>>reasonable response to any of these questions from any libertarian.
>>[Me]
>
>This is not just a question for libertarians.  Every society must draw
>the line somewhere between the extremes of allowing all pollution
>and eliminating all pollution causing production.  It would appear that
>either extreme course would yield disasterous results.
>
>I don't have the answer to this question, but would also be interested
>in listening to anyone who believes they have it, from a libertarian
>perspective or otherwise.

I propose that it be handled by democratic political processes, as it is
in the U.S., Europe, and Japan today.  With notable success, I might add.
The only really serious problems are those crossing national borders --
e.g., acid rain, which is disproportionately produced in the U.S., and
lands in Canada.  (With similar problems in Europe.)  Likewise ocean
pollution.  The solution to that part of the problem is not the subject
of this essay.

The problem with this solution for the libertarians is that it requires
a powerful central government, with the ability to collect taxes.  I
don't see any solutions which are compatible with libertarian ideas on
government.

(I do quibble with the details of how our government deals with the problem.
Instead of regulations limiting the permitted pollutants, there should be
taxes on the amount of pollutants emitted, with an effort made to match
the tax to the costs imposed on others thereby -- this is hard to do when
health and life are at stake, but not impossible.  This would not diminish
the need for a powerful central government.)

Frank Adams                           ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
Multimate International    52 Oakland Ave North    E. Hartford, CT 06108