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A genuine question for the people on HN who think government should be as small as possible, and that there shouldn't be agencies like the EPA: what would be yo
by badsock 11y ago
A genuine question for the people on HN who think government should be as small as possible, and that there shouldn't be agencies like the EPA: what would be your non-government fix for this?
- raldi 11y agoEven arch-libertarians believe in collecting fees to correct externalities.
- jeremyjh 11y agoAnd exactly how does one go about collecting that fee from someone who doesn't want to pay it in a way that is totally cool with arch-libertarians?
- raldi 11y agoEnforcement of contracts (and fees like this) is one of the core roles of government in the worldview of pure libertarianism.
- anon1385 11y agoSo you think the government should step in to regulate (or "enforce contracts" if that phrasing makes you feel more comfortable) AirBnB, where many of the properties are sublet in violation of the contract between landlord and tenant? What would that "enforcement" look like in a libertarian world? Government contract inspectors with guns turning up to AirBnB properties to demand the tenants stop subletting? AirBnB is precipitating one of the biggest changes in modern times in the rights of property owners to stipulate terms and conditions to those who rent from them, but all I see is libertarians cheering wildly because it 'disrupts' zoning and health and safety laws and screws over the (apparently) powerful hotel lobby.
- raldi 11y agoWhen did I say anything about my own political views?
- badsock 11y agoAnd in what way does that differ from what the EPA does?
- raldi 11y agoIt might not.
- tim333 11y agoThe EPA issues regulations which is different from collecting fees.
- badsock 11y agoMy understanding is that the worst of the pollution in Beijing is the many thousands of people heating their houses and cooking with coal. So in this scenario, there would be a team from the government who would drive around and catch people burning coal (as that is clearly an externality) and ask them to pay them money? Similar to how the BBC drives around and demands fees if a person is caught watching TV without a licence?
- tim333 11y agoThe trouble with billing people for damage is it's usually too complicated to do. The BBC fee is a fixed amount to pay to see its shows. London used to have smog caused by people burning coal at home but they banned it after the 1952 smog killed 4000 people. Sadly I think the Chinese pollution has killed far more than that.
- kbutler 11y agoThe real question is, which externalities merit such fees? Chemicals in water? Particulates in air? CO2 in air? Odor? Sunlight? Panorama? Noise? Solitude?
- mcguire 11y agoThe problem quickly devolves into an argument over the difference between a legitimate externality and an unwarranted intrusion.