Interesting points. The Economist is great (so long as you read it with an eye open for their normal media bias).
Nitpick:
> In almost no other countries do you need a prescription for eyeglasses.
In New Zealand the eye details from your optician are called a prescription. Opticians and eyewear is mostly paid for privately (except people on government benefits and children get theirs paid for by the public). I'm not sure if private insurance offers a glass coverage option.
Mostly, this article is pointing out emergent behaviours of a set of rules. How can we design self-optimising economic systems that are better than capitalism & democracy?
Interesting points. The Economist is great (so long as you read it with an eye open for their normal media bias).
Nitpick:
> In almost no other countries do you need a prescription for eyeglasses.
In New Zealand the eye details from your optician are called a prescription. Opticians and eyewear is mostly paid for privately (except people on government benefits and children get theirs paid for by the public). I'm not sure if private insurance offers a glass coverage option.
Mostly, this article is pointing out emergent behaviours of a set of rules. How can we design self-optimising economic systems that are better than capitalism & democracy?