True, the entrepreneur is free to give full rein to his whims, to dismiss workers off hand, to cling stubbornly to antiquated processes, deliberately to choose unsuitable methods of production and to allow himself to be guided by motives which conflict with the demands of consumers. But when and in so far as he does this he must pay for it, and if he does not restrain himself in time he will be driven, by the loss of his property, into a position where he can inflict no further damage. Special means of controlling his behavior are unnecessary. The market controls him more strictly and exactingly than could any government or other organ of society. - Ludwig von Mises (Socialism, p. 401) But Government can be guided by odd motives, use antiquated processes, use unsuitable means of production, be guided by whims of the legislative, the executive or the judges, and the demands of consumers (taxpayers) be damned. The list is long, way too long to type here. The market controls the business; nothing controls the government but some others who are guided similarly, by whim, antiquated ways, conflicting motives. But listen to the Left preach how the government is right; they are right; and business is misguided. But they used to say it was right when the Solid South put Democrats in office to continue segregation forever. Only when the South was no longer solid did the votes change. Or look at the Woodrow Wilson who jumped on Teddy Roosevelts Progressive policies with both feet to get elected in 1914. Before that you had Wm Jennings Bryan and the traditional conservative Democrats. A flip-flop of policies; the whim of the out of office; not based on what was working but what would buy the votes. Wilson out Progressived Teddy and Taft split the opposition vote. To top it off Wilson himself had just a couple years before been a conservative governor of NJ. But the whim struck, to win he had to change sides. That and chance.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 00:23:34 +0000
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