“it’s altogether more complicated than simply markets vs state provision. The actual cause of the problem is idiot regulation. That is, it’s the rules set by the US government that let drug companies charge patients through the nose. So, change the regulation and the problem will be solved – the arrival of that bright new dawn of true socialism isn’t the cure, a properly free market is.”
“Culturally, we like to think that once money is involved, a transaction becomes clean and passionless. It’s an adjustment that isn’t merely economic, but sociological as well. It requires grappling with how we define intimacy, what we view as transactional, and how we categorize what’s business, what’s personal…and what’s both.”
“It is a no-brainer that business people don’t really like competitive market capitalism, despite all their exhortations about the value of markets. Just read any of The Wealth of Nations to find Adam Smith with the same view. Business people much prefer rigged markets, as long as they are on the inside. So it is no surprise that new research finds that converting health care insurance from non-profit to for-profit leads to a rise in premiums (not the fall that would be anticipated because of greater market efficiencies).”
“While governments pay lip service to the notion of choice, their disinvestment in public home care services means that older people and their families often have no choice but to ‘choose’ for-profit home care providers, as these are becoming the norm for elder home care. […] Home care is a high involvement purchase, which requires considerable time and emotional investment. But people in need of care might not have all the necessary information, skills or time required to navigate intricate care markets.”
“To blame the free market for gluttony, one of the deadly sins, would undermine its moral legitimacy. But these arguments are a lot to swallow.”
“Aside from straight-up marketing and advertising, McDonalds, like other corporations, relies on public relations strategies that are less tangible and take indirect paths into our consciousness. McDonald’s PR positions the company as caring and moral, and as having the same concerns as the community.”
“If people really do worry about their inability to eat well, then behavioural economics suggests there’s a market for such technologies to emerge which will have the effect of reducing demand for unhealthy foods.”
“There is plenty of evidence to show obesity is not simply an individual choice. The failure of the unregulated market to deliver societally optimal outcomes calls for government intervention through regulation, taxes and subsidies, to create environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice.”
“Most people take for granted that organs shouldn’t be on sale, and anything that resembles a market for organs is a moral aberration. But is this ethical view actually justified? […] Most commodification criticisms aren’t robust enough to override the potential benefits of a market for organs, which are tremendous. Furthermore, other more sensible objections can be dealt with by implementing the right regulations and incentives.”
“I present an alternative model for a kidney market that I believe avoids the most serious objections to kidney markets. In contrast to previous arguments that suggest that the benefits of regulated kidney markets would outweigh the harms, I will propose a model that is harmless […] this suggests that we can reap the benefits of a kidney market without the ethical costs that have raised concerns.”
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