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From: sykora@csd2.UUCP (Michael Sykora)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: The free market (and lemons)
Message-ID: <4340033@csd2.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 2-Jan-86 08:02:00 EST
Article-I.D.: csd2.4340033
Posted: Thu Jan  2 08:02:00 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 4-Jan-86 02:45:08 EST
References: <589@calgary.UUCP>
Organization: New York University
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>/* franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams) /  8:05 am  Dec 27, 1985 */

>>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.

>Strictly speaken, it is unproven; but I think it is pretty obvious.

I am talking about individual policies, not whether it is better to have a
government or not at all.  In the case of eminent domain I'll admit you may be
right (though I disagree), but it is hardly obvious.  Do you really know that
much about the history of eminent domain.

>The need for roads has been recognized by the vast majority of the population
>for a long time.  I don't see how you can deny this.

Roads yes.  Public road-building, not necessarily.  In any case, the fact that
a need is "recognized" by few or many does not necessarily indicate that there
is in fact a need.

>We are talking about the prisoner's dilemma here.  Everyone is better off if
>the roads are there, but each individual is worse off if they contribute to
>building them.

I don't think that's clear at all.  In some cases they would be worse off,
in others better.  It's very difficult to generalize about such a thing.

>Also, by local roads, I mean everything but expressways.  Local roads are
>not used only by local people.

True, but they may be predominantly used by local people.  Also, major
users of local roads are those who provide services for local residents.

>What is "electronic road-pricing"?  What roads are they planning to apply
>it to?

I don't remember that the article indicated this, but let's assume it's for
major highways.  In the future, however, it might be applied to local roads.

>Assuming it is some sort of "use now, pay later" system, Hong Kong has a
>great advantage in having essentially all domestic traffic.  Cars driven
>in Hong Kong are either driven by a local owner, or rented locally.

So?

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

Mike Sykora