Reason For Big Government: The Firm

I enjoyed John Goodman's testify at Forbes.com, "Reason for large Government: The Firm"

California has a novel constabulary that requires all eggs sold inwards the country to come upwardly from chickens that are housed inwards roomier cages. Specifically, the hens “must live on able to prevarication down, stand upwardly up in addition to fully spread their wings.” 

So how many Californians cause got been arrested for eating the incorrect form of egg? Zero. Not fifty-fifty one? Not one. Actually, the constabulary doesn’t accept upshot until January, but fifty-fifty in addition to hence egg eaters volition cause got nil to fear. The reason: the constabulary doesn’t apply to people who consume eggs. It only applies to people who sell eggs.

When you lot halt to retrieve most it, that’s non unusual. Almost all authorities restrictions on our liberty are indirect. They are imposed on us past times way of to a greater extent than or less business. In fact, laws that lead limit the liberty of the private are rare in addition to almost ever controversial.

John's primary point: the regulatory country entangles businesses but largely leaves people (i.e. voters) alone. If it did, us peasants would ascension upwardly amongst pitchforks in addition to set a halt to it. He has a bunch of examples:

Take OSHA regulations. If a structure theater employs carpenters who climb ladders, federal constabulary regulates how condom the ladder must be. But is at that spot whatever constabulary that tells you lot how condom your ain ladder must live on if you lot create upwardly one's heed to climb upwardly on your ain roof? Of course of written report not. Although the federal authorities imposes security standards on almost every operate place, it imposes no security standards on how those workers comport when they are non at work. They tin post away heaven dive, hang glide, scale vertical cliffs, scuba dive inwards caves – in addition to accept only most whatever other adventure they desire.

I don't actually purchase the provocative bottom describe counterfactual

Bottom line: if at that spot were no firms, taxes would live on much lower, at that spot would live on far fewer regulations in addition to authorities would live on a much less of import establishment inwards our lives. 

Perhaps he agency "democratic" authorities equally at that spot cause got been enough of modern tyrannies that limit individuals. And many firms welcome, nay, demand, rule equally a way to stifle competition.
But that aside, the basic betoken that our authorities hyper-regulates firms, but dares non create such things to private voters is skilful in addition to interesting.