To live harmoniously in our society, a diverse array of goods and services must be made available. Some stuff is clearly better provided collectively for everyone, while other stuff is better provided by individuals for themselves. If the nation's economic activity were somehow represented along a line, somewhere in the middle we could pick a point where private efforts end and public efforts begin. I think of this line with a rope attached to it with people pulling in opposite directions. Like a real rope, there are people pulling near the centre and people pulling further from the centre, or, near the end. Those at the ends are furthest from being influenced by members pulling the other way: They'll never change their minds, and even if they could hear the pursuasive arguments of the other side, they wouldn't listen anyway. They just keep pulling: Never moving the line very far from centre, but even when it does move, it's not far enough to bring any satisfaction.
So, what to do? Perhaps, curtail our own expectations for large changes in either direction. The best we can hope for is some small movement. If this small movement brings some improvement, continue this direction: If not, reverse.
Cheers, PW.
P.S. The big flaw in this is defining improvement. Lowering the street crime in downtown New York may be a big improvement to some, while a reliable water supply in the southwest would be an improvement to others. |
