Rossputin.com: Rational Thinking About Our World

This letter to the editor of the Washington Post is a must read, especially the second paragraph. I wish I had a professor like Don Boudreaux when I was in college...

Dear Editor:

That herald of "heroic conservatism," Michael Gerson, champions active government with this swipe at laissez faire: "A concern for the rights of the poor and vulnerable is not simply 'theological'; it is a measure of our humanity. And skepticism in this noble cause is not sophistication; it seems more like exhaustion and cynicism" ("The Heart of Conservatism," December 12).

The great error of Mr. Gerson and other opponents of laissez faire - be they conservative or "liberal" - is to mistake government for society. No one this side of sociopathy is indifferent to the rights of the poor and vulnerable. The pressing question is which institutions will best protect those rights. Right or wrong, those of us who oppose the welfare-and-regulatory state do so not because we are unconcerned with others, but because we have reason to believe that freer markets and voluntary civil society are far more effective than is political action at promoting human prosperity and dignity.

Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University