Geographic Monopolies are Monopolies

"The Unbroken Window" is an Austrian economics blog.

It’s 87,576 to nothing. What am I talking about? Well, there are 87,576 governmental jurisdictions in the United States – well, at least there were when the 2002 Census of Governments was conducted. And what does the score mean? How many of them do you think are truly “free enterprise” zones? How many of them do you think resemble anything like an idealized (albeit experimental) version of a private property rights order? Sure, some of the small municipalities have outsourced their fire services and trash services to a private company, but those are an extremely stark minority. How many of them have totally eschewed eminent domain authority? How many of them have no zoning? How many of them have no tax system to speak of? How many of them attempt to nullify bad state and federal laws and say, grant immunity to any immigrant who makes their way there? How many of them allow doctors to practice without a license? Allow hair stylists to cut hair without cosmetology degrees? How many of them eschew building codes and historical preservation statutes? How many have no government run schools or post offices? How many eschew central bank money? How many do all of these things? And more.

I cite this here only by way of pointing out that constitutional limitations and geographic monopolies of law are secondary consequences of a capitalist culture that of necessity rests on a deeper acceptance of basic morality. That morality depends on epistemology. This is why Ayn Rand insisted that the ultimate social change must be philosophical, and cannot be merely poltical.

If find it saddening that people here argue whether Mark Perry or Ron Paul or Herman Cain is the best Republican candidate. You will be as disappointed as are now the progressives who supported Barack Obama.

And actually, speaking to just one point above, when I was in Colorado Springs a ten years back for an ANA convention, a friend of mine from Denver drove me up into the mountains. Heading uphill, on the right, the houses were all uniform; on the left, they were all different. "No zoning there" he said.

Post 1

Monday, November 14, 2011 - 8:05pm

Michael,

No matter how many different jurisdictions you parse our legal geography into it still remains a hierarchy where there are rules that establish which laws, and which courts have precedence over others. It is a hierarchy that reaches a single, legal pinacle - the constitution. These jurisdictions aren't separate little fiefdoms separate from all of the others.

Your post makes it seem like the large number of separate jurisdictions somehow make law of less consequence - not so. Law becomes the sharp edge of morality. The application of morality. Without it, there would otherwise be rule by initiated force. Without law, the morality you speak of wouldn't be there when needed to enforce individual rights.
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I don't understand how anyone who is in favor of free enterprise could not be watching and wondering about the different GOP candidates. Cynicism is a dead end.

Post 2

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 3:04am

Steve, now you have me scratching my head over your comments. As Prof. Michael Rizzo notes, there are sparse exceptions to the general rule, but largely, neighboring cities do not compete; and certainly, none pushes the limits of state law, but, rather, all seem happy to pile on laws of their own in addition to the federal, state, and county regulations. (In the East, as you know, there are townships, as well: counties are divided into townships and within the twps, are incorporated villages and cities. Twps can be incorporated, also.)

For several years, we lived in Livingston County, Michigan. It is between Ingham County (Lansing is there) and Oakland (suburban Detroit). We chose to live in the village of Fowlerville of 3000, four blocks from its main intersection. But we were part of a larger trend wherein most people were second-generation Detroit suburbanites, moving even farther away from the city. (We moved there to be halfway between my wife's job in Lansing and mine in Oakland County.) They bought new homes in subdivisions in the townships and then demanded fire departments, schools, and all the rest. They just wanted more of the same of what they were used to.

That is understandable, but it is not the capitalist ethic of creative destruction and constant innovation. And it did not create any crazy-quilt pattern of diverse culture and enterprise.

The political problems we face are rooted in deeper quandaries.

Post 3

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 4:37am

Any one of them will be better than obama although perry can't seem to remember why..

Post 4

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 10:25am