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This feeds into a bigger issue that Freakonomics rails against often: Restrictive licensing. In a lot of states you need special qualifications or licenses to

This feeds into a bigger issue that Freakonomics rails against often: Restrictive licensing. In a lot of states you need special qualifications or licenses to do all sorts of jobs. You can't cut hair without spending thousands on a hair cutting course and passing an exam and paying a registration fee. Sure, that makes sense for (say) doctors. Maybe engineers too? But barbers? Why bar-people? Interior decorators?

WkndTriathlete 5y ago
Hair-cutters I'm ok with, because I don't want to get Hepatitis C or head lice from the stylist or previous patrons.
- LatteLazy 5y ago
  Is this a real risk though? I'm a limey brit. Anyone can cut hair here. I've never heard of anyone getting Hep C from a haircut...
glitchc 5y ago
Any occupation where there is a risk of personal (or pecuniary) injury to the client should (and does) require some form of licensing. The license ensures that a minimum standard of competency has been met by the person offering the service.
- throwkeep 5y ago
  Wasn't the same thought of with taxis and hotels though? But we found that an Uber drive isn't meaningfully more dangerous than a licensed taxi drive. And an Airbnb stay isn't meaningfully more dangerous than a licensed hotel stay.
  - GLGirty 5y ago
    In my travels, I have been to multiple cities where the advice is, NEVER USE UNLICENSED TAXIS. Tourists are grifted or worse by unlicensed drivers. I read a tragic hand written warning at a youth hostel by a victim who was held a knife point and driven around to every ATM in the city, draining their account $200 per machine (local limit.) Closer to home, in my province, there have been issues with AirBnB operators not being properly insured. If you were injured because of something unsafe on the property, compensation could be difficult or impossible. There have been instances of airbnb rentals that have hidden cameras in rooms you would assume to be private. I personally would feel safer if bad behaviour can get a person banned from renting rooms. Anecdata, but what the fork was going on here? And do we think it would happen at a hotel? https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/hunter-toronto-woman-among-two-murdered-at-airbnb-and-friends-did-nothing https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/hunter-toronto-woman-...
imtringued 5y ago
Most of the benefits of licensed professions come from the ability to revoke licenses, not from the ability to grant them. There are some professions where you genuinely need them but the vast majority of professions only need to get rid of the bad apples to set an example, the rest will follow the law on their own.

WkndTriathlete 5y ago

Hair-cutters I'm ok with, because I don't want to get Hepatitis C or head lice from the stylist or previous patrons.

LatteLazy 5y ago
Is this a real risk though? I'm a limey brit. Anyone can cut hair here. I've never heard of anyone getting Hep C from a haircut...

glitchc 5y ago

Any occupation where there is a risk of personal (or pecuniary) injury to the client should (and does) require some form of licensing. The license ensures that a minimum standard of competency has been met by the person offering the service.

throwkeep 5y ago
Wasn't the same thought of with taxis and hotels though? But we found that an Uber drive isn't meaningfully more dangerous than a licensed taxi drive. And an Airbnb stay isn't meaningfully more dangerous than a licensed hotel stay.
- GLGirty 5y ago
  In my travels, I have been to multiple cities where the advice is, NEVER USE UNLICENSED TAXIS. Tourists are grifted or worse by unlicensed drivers. I read a tragic hand written warning at a youth hostel by a victim who was held a knife point and driven around to every ATM in the city, draining their account $200 per machine (local limit.) Closer to home, in my province, there have been issues with AirBnB operators not being properly insured. If you were injured because of something unsafe on the property, compensation could be difficult or impossible. There have been instances of airbnb rentals that have hidden cameras in rooms you would assume to be private. I personally would feel safer if bad behaviour can get a person banned from renting rooms. Anecdata, but what the fork was going on here? And do we think it would happen at a hotel? https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/hunter-toronto-woman-among-two-murdered-at-airbnb-and-friends-did-nothing https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/hunter-toronto-woman-...

imtringued 5y ago

Most of the benefits of licensed professions come from the ability to revoke licenses, not from the ability to grant them. There are some professions where you genuinely need them but the vast majority of professions only need to get rid of the bad apples to set an example, the rest will follow the law on their own.