Re:Ask HN: Are you in a morally or ethically compromised sit...
by Twixes on Sunday June 14, 2020 @09:44AM
(#23517593)
That depends on the market. There are valid reasons for states to get involved in business:
* some markets can never be free due to their nature (their services are not negotiable): e.g. medical care, pharmaceuticals
* some markets just create monopolies or else are horribly inefficient: e.g. metropolitan transportation, railways
* sometimes it's better that the government-funded service doesn't need to make a profit, because that way it can serve more of the government's people better: e.g. housing, education, public transport in general
* even stronger influence can be exerted on other states if you control powerful companies operating there: e.g. PRC's approach
Re:Ask HN: Are you in a morally or ethically compromised sit...
by perilunar on Sunday June 14, 2020 @11:25AM
(#23518347)
Well I think that some of that falls generally under market 'failure', so I don't necessarily disagree. But when the market is working the government should butt out.
* some markets can never be free due to their nature (their services are not negotiable): e.g. medical care, pharmaceuticals
* some markets just create monopolies or else are horribly inefficient: e.g. metropolitan transportation, railways
* sometimes it's better that the government-funded service doesn't need to make a profit, because that way it can serve more of the government's people better: e.g. housing, education, public transport in general
* even stronger influence can be exerted on other states if you control powerful companies operating there: e.g. PRC's approach