Austrian Knights

Dr. John Hasnas , Law professor at Georgetown University, gave a lecture to the Students for Liberty (Webminar Series) on November 8, 2010. Hasnas lecture was not on the Market Failure (MF) but rather the FAILURE of the Market Failure argument. Hasnas exposed his arguments against the MF from his knowledge in law and ethics. Hasnas could not being more eloquent in establishing the distinction of what constitutes for him the disappointment in the argumentation of the defenders of the subject in question. I will now share my notes from Hasnas’ lecture: The Market Failure (Definition according to Hasnas): The market is full with transactions that happen simultaneously. There are unregulated voluntary as well as regulated voluntary transactions. However, the market failure occurs when the good outcome(s) of these transactions affect negatively third parties. Advocates of the MF often mention the following examples when the “market fails;” air pollution, deforestation, water contamina...

On September 30th, 2010, Quito the capital of Ecuador was in shock by the police riots that took place at the Regimiento Quito 1 (Police Headquarters in the North side of the city). The police was (and still might be) unhappy with a new law for the public sector. This law, the police thought, would cut their bonuses and promotions. However, in reality the benefits still there but paid differently. The controversy and conflict took place when President Correa tried, mistakenly and wildly, to confront the crowd. Police men gathered at the Regimiento Quito 1 Thursday morning, they burned tires and declared themselves on strike. President Rafael Correa went to the Police Headquarters hoping he could calm the police force and get them back to work. However, things were about to take a wrong turn. As Correa, from a window, tried to convince the police that this law will not take away their labor benefits; police men chanted in favor of Lucio Guitirrez, Ecuador's former President a...