There are rules that each of us must follow. Some come from our town, our state, or our country. Are these regulations truly necessary?
It is easy to dislike regulations. They often prevent us for doing things we want to do. Or they cost time and money in working around them. They can be poorly worded, ineffective, or overly complicated.
And yet, we count on regulations to protect us. In theory, they keep our food safe to eat, our drinking water pure, and our air free of pollutants. They keep marginalized groups safe, and safeguard animals on the verge of extinction.
Or at least, that was the original intention. While individuals and neighbors might look out for one another, companies and corporations surely won’t. They need to be told specifically and exactly what they can and cannot do, in their quest to turn a profit. Those rules are the origin of regulations.
Protection and safety sound good. But too much red tape can strangle a small — or even a large — business. Is it possible to ease the regulatory burden on companies and individuals?
One extreme is to have no restrictions on what companies are allowed to do. The other is to require every decision, no matter how small, to be controlled to make sure they are in the best interest of the masses. Is there some middle ground allowing businesses to flourish while also keeping the community safe? Where are we currently on this spectrum?
Related questions: If you were to create a small business, what would it do? What role does community play in your life? What makes a community? Unrestrained capitalism or social democracy?