6 ms·

If we just stopped enforcing the laws, the damage to our society would be incalculable. Is it worth it to prosecute petty thefts for less than $100? If not, th

If we just stopped enforcing the laws, the damage to our society would be incalculable. Is it worth it to prosecute petty thefts for less than $100? If not, then we are giving the green light to that kind of crime. What incentive would you have to run a small business selling things if the state won't enforce the law? > This line of thinking has two serious problem: it assumes that people 1) Actually intentionally break the law as a choice and 2) Actually think about the consequences of their actions I lived in New York City, and saw the people who tried that in Bushwick. I actually agree that there are sadly many adults who completely dysfunctional. But that does not mean that we should just abandon our laws. Is it not a much bigger problem that we have people who simply can not help but break the law?

jakelazaroff 7y ago
I don't think GP is saying we shouldn't enforce laws that don't make sense economically. Rather, if all it takes to follow the law is pay $2.75, and people break it over 200,000 times per day, maybe it's time to reevaluate whether the law and consequences are effective?
cortesoft 7y ago
> What incentive would you have to run a small business selling things if the state won't enforce the law? Small businesses exist even in places with no laws. Not saying it is a good idea to not have laws, or not enforce them, but it isn't like EVERYTHING ceases to work when laws aren't enforced. I also don't think the effect is incalculable. We have lots of examples of places where the government collapses and there is no longer any enforcement of the law. We could certainly research the effect his has on the economy. I am in no way arguing that we should abandon laws or stop enforcing petty crime, just saying it isn't quite that simple.
- jplayer01 7y ago
  > Small businesses exist even in places with no laws Only because other power structures emerge with their own rules. I think I’ll take laws over "lawlessness".

jakelazaroff 7y ago

I don't think GP is saying we shouldn't enforce laws that don't make sense economically. Rather, if all it takes to follow the law is pay $2.75, and people break it over 200,000 times per day, maybe it's time to reevaluate whether the law and consequences are effective?

cortesoft 7y ago

> What incentive would you have to run a small business selling things if the state won't enforce the law? Small businesses exist even in places with no laws. Not saying it is a good idea to not have laws, or not enforce them, but it isn't like EVERYTHING ceases to work when laws aren't enforced. I also don't think the effect is incalculable. We have lots of examples of places where the government collapses and there is no longer any enforcement of the law. We could certainly research the effect his has on the economy. I am in no way arguing that we should abandon laws or stop enforcing petty crime, just saying it isn't quite that simple.

jplayer01 7y ago
> Small businesses exist even in places with no laws Only because other power structures emerge with their own rules. I think I’ll take laws over "lawlessness".