The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible - Bastiat Institute

You have the right to
protect your own life,
freedom, and justly
acquired property
from the forceful
aggression of others
From Jonathan’s
Principles
? [L]et me suggest
an experiment. …
[In one year] don’t
buy or use any of
Microsoft’s products.
…. At the same time,
send the government
no money. That is,
don’t pay your taxes.
Then wait. Watch
who comes after you
for your money and
how and with what
weapons.
Richard M. Salsman
Chapter 14 • Escalating Crimes
to a few. Licences given to monopolies or
guilds prevent competition. This immediately
raises the prices they may charge, enforces
conformity and prevents service providers from
adapting to changing circumstances. In this way,
governments deny consumers the opportunity
and responsibility to try new, ancient, or
foreign ideas. It prevents trades and professions
from offering consumers a choice in services,
and through competition, cheaper and more
innovative offers.
When consumers cannot afford the high
prices, they often must go without any service at
all and so lose out completely.
The existence of licensing on taxis protects
the established taxi companies and bars new
companies from entering the market. One cannot
start a new taxi business – even if you have only
one taxi – unless one can purchase a taxi license.
This becomes so enormously expensive that it
shuts out small entrepreneurs, and opens itself
to corruption.
Members of a profession who do not
conform are denied membership. In this manner,
the non-conformists are deprived of the right to
make a living in the manner of their choice, even
though people may desire their services. Some
say that this protects consumers. However, by
taking away consumer choice, it shows a lack of
confi dence in the consumers’ ability to assess the
benefi ts in open competition.
There is no guarantee that the decision
makers would be wiser than we are. Do we need
the state to remove choices from our lives?
Background
Ken: “Offi cer” Stuart K. Hayashi, one of my
former students and a very good friend, gave
meticulous editorial assistance and many
comments on the 3rd edition and on this
Commentary Edition. Though he does not plan
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