Category: Free Markets

The enormous expenditure on a private company is dispiriting for many reasons, not the least of which is Musk’s public rhetoric on subsidies. In the past, he has spoken quite eloquently about the problems with taxpayer funding for private projects, saying in 2021 that “the role of the government should be that of a referee, but not a player on the field.” And yet he and his companies have benefited significantly from government largesse, to the tune of billions of dollars since 2010.

https://reason.com/2023/07/07/tesla-solar-factory-not-living-up-to-new-yorks-1-billion-investment/

Houston is not a free-for-all. It requires a minimum number of parking spaces for different uses, which encourages sprawl. Its complex development code limits how many homes you may build on an acre. But it has no zoning, and its density restrictions are less severe than in almost any other large city.

The surprisingly strong argument for abolishing zoning is the rare case of successfully moving the “Overton window.” It should make all of us more sympathetic to fundamental reforms.

Should We Abolish Zoning?

X-Dumpsters owner Steven Hedrick rents roll-away dumpsters to people, but now his city forces residents to contract with the county.

In his lawsuit, Hedrick contends that the ordinance constitutes a monopoly, which “violates the anti-monopoly clause and the due process clause of the Arkansas Constitution.” Article II, Section 19 of the Arkansas Constitution states that monopolies “are contrary to the genius of a republic, and shall not be allowed.”

https://reason.com/2023/08/28/arkansas-business-owner-sues-over-government-garbage-monopoly/

Nigeria’s shantytowns are more functional than its centrally planned gated communities.

This comparison speaks to a paradox I’ve found with African real estate. The more “formal” a project is—with master plans, institutional investors, and government involvement—the more slowly it materializes. The more “informal” it is, with minimal rules other than how locals self-govern, the more quickly it becomes a real city.

https://reason.com/2023/09/02/africas-planned-cities-need-unplanning/

Teenagers who work part-time see lifelong benefits.

We need to stop treating teenagers as inherently fragile, or they’ll become that way. Real-world exposure to the challenge of getting paid to do things that other people value will benefit them for the rest of their lives. 

https://reason.com/video/2023/04/17/let-teens-work/