How is consumer protection handled in a libertarian society? – Quora
9 years ago
Disclosure: I’m generally against libertarian policies, but I wonder if I’m ill-educated on the subject and want to start researching.
Thanks!
Answer by John Fogh
1. The power to regulate is corrupting. If a government agency has the power to regulate companies it is in a company’s best interest to cozy up to it’s regulators.
2. Regulation is stifling. Because of the regulatory regime of the FDA it is very, very, hard to have a startup pharmaceutical company. Only the large players can comply with the regulatory demands of the FDA (and lobby for regulations that benefit them.)
3. Regulation is ineffective. When the FDA manages to ‘protect’ people from the 1:100,000 side effect of some drug, it also delays (or prevents) life saving treatments. A company that violates the FDA guidelines is forced to pay a fine to the government, but any damages to the actual patients harmed will require a civil judgement. Why bother quibbling about actual scientific outcomes? The FDA regulates homeopathy.
4. Regulation is very expensive. Armies of lawyers (and lobbyists) are necessary to get a new drug to the marketplace adding to the cost of the drug. Vast regulatory testing and enforcement mechanism has to be funded by the taxpayer.
How is consumer protection handled in a libertarian society? – Quora.