Because 7 billion heads are better than all governments combined

 

By Philippe David
 

Anywhere and anytime that the possibility of a voluntary society is being discussed, we always run into the same objections. Generally, they start with: «But without government, how…?» Usually they come from people who are just so accustomed to government being part of every aspect of their lives that they are quite incapable of imagining life without it and government, through public education makes damned sure that most people stay unable to think outside that box. But think about it. Does anyone actually believe that politicians and government bureaucrats represent the cream of the crop in problem-solving ability? Do you honestly believe that these people are the only ones qualified to solve social issues? Couldn’t a network of flat paved surfaces we call roads ever get constructed unless it is funded by force through taxation? Of course it can! Lots of things get done without being funded by taxes or without a master central planner to manage them. You just don’t realize it.

 The market does it every day 

There is no better demonstration of what the market does than the essay I Pencil by Leonard Read. In it, Read states that not one single person can make a simple lead pencil and goes on to show all that has to get done to produce that very mundane, but indispensable item. From all that is involved in simply harvesting the wood needed for the body of the pencil to making the brass ferule, the rubber erase and the graphite core, the construction of such a simple everyday item is much more complex than anyone can imagine and requires the cooperation of countless people of different origins, culture, and language. Yet it all manages to get done without central planning for mere pennies per unit. How is that even possible, if you believe that nothing can happen without government central planning? Yet whatever needs to be done, the market has proven that it can do it better and cheaper than government time and time again. 

7 billion heads 

There’s an easy explanation why the market provides better solutions to everyday problems. If we were to tally all politicians and government bureaucrats in the world, how much would it add up to? A few hundred millions maybe? Governments only have a very limited pool of talent to solve issues and generally select the solution that is most politically lucrative both in terms of financing or votes and impose that one-size-fits-all solution by force. Whether it actually solves the problem doesn’t really matter, as long as their intentions were good.  Market solutions, on the other hand come from any of 7 billion human beings living on this planet and their ideas are allowed to compete with each other and the whole of humanity gets a say with each dollar they spend, which solution suits them best.   

As Lawrence Reed once said «It constantly amazes me that defenders of the free market are expected to provide certainty and perfection while government has only to make promises and express good intentions.» When was the last time you actually saw government promises come true? Why then would you believe the market will do any worse? I’ll put my money on the 7 billion heads any day.