@steeleblue_cactus
This is a perfect example of how we have become like drug addicts when it comes to government programs.
One assumption is that without the government none of this would have happened, which is a false belief.
Another assumption is that the government did the right thing, which strangely ignores all of the evidence of government programs throughout history - remember those expensive hammers and toilet seats?
Governments focus all investment into one solution, regardless of whether it is the right solution. The end result is never really tested against a market-oriented approach, and yet proponents of this method are more than happy to declare them all a success. Unfortunately the metric used to judge success is far to simplistic to be a true measure of the result.
If there's a project, measuring success merely by completing the project and getting a check-mark at the end - regardless of whether it took all wrong turns to get there, or regardless of whether it actually costs more in the long run than other approaches - is a recipe for disaster.
And that's basically what the examples of roads, electricity, etc. are: Management by check-mark.
This is a very short-sighted approach to management and not conducive to innovation and progress.
Discussion on:
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