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From: sykora@csd2.UUCP (Michael Sykora)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: The free market (and lemons)
Message-ID: <4340025@csd2.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 23-Dec-85 19:36:00 EST
Article-I.D.: csd2.4340025
Posted: Mon Dec 23 19:36:00 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Dec-85 01:01:41 EST
References: <589@calgary.UUCP>
Organization: New York University
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>/* franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams) /  9:52 pm  Dec 18, 1985 */

>Without the power of eminent domain, we would all be much poorer.  Public
>road-building has done a great deal of good.  You may argue that private
>roads could have done as well, but that is an unproven assumption.

We must not consider whether some good came out of government policies,
but whether net good came out of them.  If that is what you are saying,
then clearly this is an unproiven assumption.

>In
>fact, public roadbuilding took place because of a recognized need for
>the roads, and a perceived inability of the private sector to provide
>them.

How in the world can that statement be justified?  Who recognized the
need?  Politicians?  Politically well-connected road builders?  You may
indeed be correct, but such an assumption needs justification, particularly
in light of the recent Westway fiasco in New York City.

>The libertarian proposal is to build toll roads.  But for local
>roads, the cost of collecting tolls probably exceeds the cost of building
>and maintaining the roads.

If this is true, the local populace would likely contribute to have roads
paved, unless, of course, they didn't want them.  This would probably
keep  property values down, though.

Incidentally, "electronic road-pricing" technology is becoming cheaper, and
Hong Kong is planning to implement an ERP system soon.  (There was an article
about private roads including a note about this in the latest issue of the
National Taxpayers' Union's newsletter, "Dollars and Sense.")

>Frank Adams                           ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka

Michael Sykora