Friday, April 18, 2014

The Privatization of Roads and Highways

Here is a January 2009 panel discussion with Walter Block, sponsored by the Federalist Society, University of Tennessee College of Law.

Dr. Block, an Austrian school economist and anarcho-libertarian philosopher, is Harold E. Wirth Eminent Scholar Chair in Economics and professor of economics at Loyola University New Orleans and senior fellow with the Ludwig von Mises Institute. He is author of The Privatization of Roads and Highways: Human and Economic Factors





9 comments:

  1. If privately developed and financed roads and highways is such a good idea why does not a single country in the world do it??

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    Replies
    1. Why don't you ask them?

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    2. Anony 9:53, I live in a neighborhood where all the roads are private and privately maintained. Entire towns have been developed by private companies. Perhaps the reason it doesn't happen more often is because government is willing to socialize the costs. You can see the seen, but not the unseen.

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    3. "If privately developed and financed roads and highways is such a good idea why does not a single country in the world do it??"

      First off, as Mic said, it does exist. Second, the question is completely stupid. It's like saying, "Well, if socialism doesn't work, why do people still do it?" It's called STUPIDITY and SUPERSTITION. This isn't rocket science.

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  2. Why do you think you have more freedom on a privately run road? The Bill of Rights only limits govt. If you are on a privately run road and you are stopped for speeding, the 4th Amendment does not limit what the private cop can do. They can seize your car and tow it away and never return it. The private cop can also racially profile drivers, stop them and search them simply because of their race. I suppose in libertyland where the Civil War was about a tariff and slavery was not so bad, racial profiling a good thing. Other than satisfying the need to abolish govt, a private road does not lead to more liberty.

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    1. "Why do you think you have more freedom on a privately run road?"

      Because it will be run by an entity who has to get my money voluntarily. I have to choose that road and if there are stories the road is bad and the driving experience terrible, I will choose another. That road company has an incentive to cater to drivers not exploit them like a monopoly would. Today, money is taking from for roads that I might never drive on because its a monopoly and do not have any choice in the matter.

      Why do you have more freedom in the marketplace than the state? Because you can vote your dollars to some other entity who you think may satisfy your needs. With the state, you take what they give you, and you are stuck with it. The people running the state get paid whether or not you like their service. Private companies in free markets do not have this luxury. They must earn their money not steal it.

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    2. Loser racebaiter, the magical Bill of Rights doesn't limit anything the government does right now.

      Weak as usual.

      Your sock puppets are getting cold.

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    3. JW: Imbecile.

      Note how the troll equates "freedom" with being able to do anything at all. Gasp, we may still get stopped for speeding.

      It's freedom from aggression, respect for property rights (including the road owners) that is freedom.

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