Say It Ain't So
Joe Biden is always fun to listen to. His latest line is getting more attention than usual:
"Every single great idea that has marked the 21st century, the 20th century and the 19th century has required government vision and government incentive."
In a vague, roundabout way, you can make a case for this. That the government, through courts, cops and so on provide a stable society for people to create. Furthermore, when they take so much of our money and interfere in so much of our lives, they have a hand in everything. (Did the inventor drive to the store to get supplies--who do you think built those roads?)
But it's sad, and not a little bit scary, to know this is the attitude that so many in our ruling class have. It's not the creative force of free individuals in a free marketplace that drives things forward, but the government. It's amazing we're not more grateful.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:14 AM
8 Comments:
Same vague, roundabout way that everything in the last 500 years is due to Christopher Columbus, and the same vague, roundabout way that any given set of structural bolts in a jet airliner is worth the entire price of the airliner, because without that bolt the plane won't be able to fly. Same vague, roundabout way that without government, property would not exist.
Good news is, those Spanish socialists can relax. Turns out we owe them enough money that the whole world can live on it forever.
Its the tension between that creates the progress. Except when it doesn't.
Its nice to know someone's paying attention to Joe Biden
Like when Al Gore created the internet.
Actually that's a good example of how government does play an important role (not the only important role and he didn't say that) in moving things forward. If you don't believe it, I say go start a business in Mogadishu.
His inclusion of the 19th century makes it particularly nonsensical. The best you can argue for as "incentive" is the government's administration of the patent system. But what in the world would be the "government vision" behind, e.g. the McCormick reaper? McCormick used his own funds to invent, manufacture, market and sell his invention. The only government intervention I'm aware of was his patenting the invention.
I'm guessing he was thinking of the railroads.
Okay, let's speak of the railroads:
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/it-aint-so-joe/
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