27 February 2009

Who Will Build the Roads?

Since most people these days depend on government for nearly everything, it only makes sense to expect that they believe only it can provide the numerous "vital and critical services" they consume. And when I'm explaining the virtues of liberty to such people, they almost invariably justify their belief in big government by asking me, "But, who will build the roads?" Well, this is my answer.

The naive defenders of government and misguided taxpayers share a common trait in that they believe the free market won't work when it comes to road building. Since they can't imagine how a market might solve a particular problem, they conclude that the market must fail in this instance. To refute this false assumption about the free market, I ask you to simply look out your window and observe how the market solves problems every day in ways that we don't expect. F.A. Hayek, who won a Nobel Prize for economics, called it a kind of constructivism. In other words, just because we don't know how something can be accomplished doesn't mean it won't or can't be done.

During colonial times, governments did NOT build roads, but individuals (the free market) did. There were thousands of road building companies and colonial America had 10's of thousands of miles of maintained, engineered roads. All of this was done when there were no taxes to pay for them and no cars to use them. Now think for a minute, since individuals used their own money to build a road back when there was less money, demand and necessity for them, then why wouldn't they have even more incentive to build them today with our greater demand and need?

Think about it... do you worry about where your telephone service comes from? Do you worry who will build your computer? Do you worry whether food will be in the grocery stores? Do you worry whether you favorite TV show will be on the air or a new one to replace it? Do you worry whether anyone will build a skyscraper, stadium or factory? Do you worry about the availability of your favorite beverage? Do you worry whether cars, trucks, ships, trains or planes will be made? Do you worry whether there will be music? Do you worry whether the raw materials for your hobbies will be available? Do you worry whether there will be I-pods, Blackberries, Wii's, X-Boxes or computer software? Do you worry whether there will be gasoline? Do you worry whether there will be pet food? Do you worry whether there will doctors, dentists, vets, mechanics, electricians or plumbers? Do you worry whether there will be new clothing fashions?

Of course not! As if by magic, you and your neighbors, and people you don't even know make sure the necessities and luxuries of life are provided. As you well know, nothing comes to us by true magic, so the only "magic" involved here is the motivation that comes from greed. Greed, for a lack of a better word, is the innate drive that motivates us all to want to prosper and to provide for our loved ones. And it is the free market that properly channels greed towards productive ends, which is the peaceful and civilized way of fulfilling society's real needs and wants instead of using the violent and barbaric means of force (taxes) to do so. It also guarantees that the ones who use the roads pay for them. Therefore, "don't worry, be happy" about who will build the roads. Someone (or perhaps even you) will provide them and persuade people to use them by making life easier for vehicle owners. And in exchange for providing roads, the free market will allow whomever builds them to earn a living in a helpful, peaceful and honest manner.

So, while we don't necessarily know where the things we need come from, we do know if there is a need or want in a free market it will be quickly filled by either ourselves or by someone else. Free societies have historically created whatever they needed whether it was a massive project or a tiny utensil. What you should really be worrying about is your Liberty, because without it, all of the above will be in short supply or perhaps even nonexistent. So, why worry about where roads come from?

(other articles are archived on my Writings page.)

Rebecca Iocca

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