Horner's Corner

Archive for November 24th, 2009

Melancholia

by on Nov.24, 2009, under photography

Melancholia
c. 1910
autochrome
Charles Corbet

From: ::: wood s lot ::: “the fitful tracing of a portal”.

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The Choice Agenda: A Very Brief Guide to What’s Wrong With It, Simplified for Politicians

by on Nov.24, 2009, under economics, politics

choices2

It’s really quite simple, but in case anyone is a politician I’ll try to be very clear.

If you don’t have enough of some things, letting people choose which ones they want will still leave some people who don’t get any of those things.

OR

If you have enough things, but some are more desirable than others (or believed to be more desirable -perhaps because a lot of people desire them), and you let people choose what they want, then some people will still not get the more desirable things.

And

if you do this (encourage people to believe they can have something if they choose it, when there is scarcity)

(a) you will tend to favour those best able to compete (the sharp elbows principle)

(b) you may promote an attitude and practice which favours individuals over the common good (or just over other individuals). This may of course be what you wanted to happen – but do pause to think this through in case it isn’t what you really want to occur.

(c) You may drive down the actual quality of the ‘less desirable’ things, thus making them seem even less desirable for the unlucky in the competition for desirable things

(d) You will have some people who feel, quite, slightly or very disappointed.

There are other effects, but I’m sure the politicians are having trouble staying focused..so just one more:

(e) If you do all this, then you lecture people on citizenship, the community, duty or The Big Society  you will give the impression that you are a twat.


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