From: Charles Hixson (charleshixsn@earthlink.net)
Date: Wed Oct 16 2002 - 08:20:32 MDT
Phil Osborn wrote:
>...
>WRONG. All the people whose work contributed to
>replacing the window would
>
could, not would.
>have been doing OTHER
>productive things with their time. The net economic
>...
>
It depends a whole lot on the economic surround. You are assuming that
the benefits of the efforts of those needed to repair the situation will
descend to them in like manner if they are not required to repair the
situation. This isn't the way things tend to work. Mind you,
frequently the emergency repair people are worse off if there is a large
disaster, but they are also worse of if there are no minor disasters for
awhile. Fire-fighter benefits are cut, etc.
Yes, the broken window is a fallacy. But the explanation isn't simple,
it's complex, and possibly chaotic. If the galazier has no windows to
repair, e.g., he might loose his shop. Then when windows need
repairing, there's nobody to do it. And they will need repairing,
eventually. But in the mean time, the landlord doesn't want to support
the glazier, even though the community needs him.
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