Note: This morning, I gave my annual guest lecture to an economics class at the Naval Postgraduate School on “How Economists Helped End the Draft.” It was a blast.
But did Hayek think we can do without government? How are hundreds of millions of people to be organized without bureaucracy?
Private firms after all have bureaucracies.
I find Burnham far more perceptive about power and how rules of organization inevitably an invariably come into play whenever people become concentrated in situations above isolated homesteads.
It's hard to take such ignorance seriously, by which I mean, it's hard to take seriously the proposition that you really are that ignorant of spontaneous organization, or the market competition which keeps private bureaucracies in check, and its lack which lets government bureaucracies grow.
As my Father always told me: "There is no reason for it, it is just Company policy." Of course, you can substitute Government for Company, as that is even truer.
Sixth paragraph, "has over him" should probably be "has over me".
Most people have become so inured to government power that it is invisible to them. Even if you point it out to them, as in this 4 inch branch story, they just shrug and say there must be some reason.
But did Hayek think we can do without government? How are hundreds of millions of people to be organized without bureaucracy?
Private firms after all have bureaucracies.
I find Burnham far more perceptive about power and how rules of organization inevitably an invariably come into play whenever people become concentrated in situations above isolated homesteads.
No, Hayek believed we needed a government. Read The Constitution of Liberty if you want to know more about his views.
In this light that Hayek believed we needed a government how are we to understand
" the government’s power “is a power which is newly created and which in a competitive society nobody possesses.” "
Surely even a "competitive society" possesses a government. How is this power then "newly created". And then what is a "competitive society" ?
It's hard to take such ignorance seriously, by which I mean, it's hard to take seriously the proposition that you really are that ignorant of spontaneous organization, or the market competition which keeps private bureaucracies in check, and its lack which lets government bureaucracies grow.
"Do you see how crazy the original set up was? Depending on some unknown bureaucrat who had more power over me than a major hardware store had?"
NJ has 'shade tree commissions' in municipalities.
"I’m pleased. I hardly ever say “uh”"
Indeed, smooth as silk if you were an attorney you'd surely be arguing in front of appellate and supreme courts throughout the nation.
Thanks so much. Sometime I'll tell the story of when a court stenographer who saw me in action compared me to Melvin Belli and F. Lee Bailey.
As my Father always told me: "There is no reason for it, it is just Company policy." Of course, you can substitute Government for Company, as that is even truer.
Sixth paragraph, "has over him" should probably be "has over me".
Most people have become so inured to government power that it is invisible to them. Even if you point it out to them, as in this 4 inch branch story, they just shrug and say there must be some reason.
Actually no, it's him.
Yes, you are right. I was going by the original quote and had not shifted my 1/2/3 person point of view properly.
Indeed it refers back in a way that is a bit awkward for us!