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Claiming that the stricter building codes would stimulate the economy is arguably also the same fallacy, just without the obvious net-negative of the "broken wi
by camccann 17y ago
Claiming that the stricter building codes would stimulate the economy is arguably also the same fallacy, just without the obvious net-negative of the "broken window" case.
On the other hand, even disregarding the risk mitigation, it's also arguable that the seemingly burdensome building codes would inflict no appreciable harm on the economy, for exactly the same reasons that the broken window fallacy sounds plausible.
- xsmasher 17y agoAgreed that if no disaster occurs then the building code is just moving money around from one industry to another, with no net benefit. If disaster does occur than the code has prevented the destruction of capital, and therefore has benefited the economy -- maybe not "stimulated", but benefited by preventing a greater loss.
- cynicalkane 17y agoPreventing the windows from being broken isn't the broken window fallacy.