dimpy.handa
Dimpy Handa
We are all born into a world where government provides some of the essential goods and services necessary to function in modern society. So entrenched is the notion that certain goods and services are entirely dependent on a properly functioning government that it is taken by most to be an a priori truth not worthy of debate. Yet such notions are little more than surface observations of the status quo. It very well may be that after probing more deeply into the nature of things we come to a conclusion that confirms our surface observations, but we can't know that unless we actually do the probing.
Thought experiments are a tool used in economics to deduce the effects of a change in one economic factor on other economic factors. It is one way of probing deeper into natural and social phenomena. Such experiments are not particular to economics. (Albert Einstein utilized thought experiments to develop his theories of time-space relationships.)
Think of a good or service which typically is regarded to be provided by government by necessity. It does not matter which good or service is selected. Now remove the government's involvement in the provision of that good or service either immediately or by a certain date.
After society adapts to such a change from the status quo, what will the end result look like? Does the market inevitably fill the void? Is the void filled by charitable efforts? Is the void left unfilled? Does society collapse and enter into the dark ages?
Thought experiments are a tool used in economics to deduce the effects of a change in one economic factor on other economic factors. It is one way of probing deeper into natural and social phenomena. Such experiments are not particular to economics. (Albert Einstein utilized thought experiments to develop his theories of time-space relationships.)
Think of a good or service which typically is regarded to be provided by government by necessity. It does not matter which good or service is selected. Now remove the government's involvement in the provision of that good or service either immediately or by a certain date.
After society adapts to such a change from the status quo, what will the end result look like? Does the market inevitably fill the void? Is the void filled by charitable efforts? Is the void left unfilled? Does society collapse and enter into the dark ages?