Michael Mitchell: Archive

The problem with regulation isn't whether any particular regulation works or not. The problem with regulation isn't whether the goal of any particular regulation is good or not. It would be easy to set a legal definition for pornographic literature and then remove the requisite books from all schools, both public and private, and some would judge the regulation as good for children and some would judge it as bad and everyone would agree the regulation was effective, but does that mean the practice of the government regulating any part of our lives is good? It has already been granted, of course, that we think it is, but should we? If we put regulation itself on the ballot, not the regulation of any particular practice or product we may personally distrust or disagree with, would we choose regulation over freedom?