it's impossible to gauge the effects of any policy decision ever if it is applied universally. The only way to determine the effect of a policy is to apply it s

it's impossible to gauge the effects of any policy decision ever if it is applied universally. The only way to determine the effect of a policy is to apply it specifically to smaller groups and try to tease the effect out while controlling for various other factors. In a situation like a global economic meltdown, you simply don't have time to study the efficacy of the policy. It's damn near impossible, but it has been done. The books "Super Crunchers" and "Freakonomics" have discussions of how and when it's been done successfully