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That's true. So why do we feel the need to coerce people into paying into such systems? The more I investigate it the more I think it's because of the power suc
by duncan_bayne 11y ago
That's true. So why do we feel the need to coerce people into paying into such systems? The more I investigate it the more I think it's because of the power such systems grant the coercers. Consider the uproar over Zuckerberg having the temerity to spend his money on charity in the way he pleases, instead of the State getting to choose.
- rifung 11y agoI believe the reason we need to coerce people into paying is because economically if you don't let people volunteer to pay, it just doesn't work. Excuse me if I don't have the sources for this as it was my Econ PhD friend who explained it to me. I wonder if the argument against it is something like this: imagine for every person, they have some amount they are willing to contribute to said scheme. However, unless the total amount needed to fund such a project is small, if you don't force everyone to contribute then the cost will be significantly higher per person. Then, because it's higher than what some people want to pay, they choose not to pay although they would have otherwise. After that happens, the price increases more, and this effect continues.
- duncan_bayne 11y agoSure, that sounds entirely reasonable from a mathematical perspective. But the question to ask is: does that justify the use of coercion to secure funding? I.e., does efficiency justify the use of force?