Sunday, September 22, 2013

When we do not know - use the invisible hand

The economy is complex system and it is hard to control, so we invoke the concept of the invisible hand to explain how this system works. Everyone in the economy works in their self-interest which in aggregate will lead to an efficient allocation of resources, the invisible hand. 

Since we cannot know how the economy will work in all cases, relying on the invisible hand is necessary. Does that mean there is no place of government or regulation? Of course, not. The issue is whether we believe that we know more about the economy than what is actually the case. We should be humble in front of these complexities and act accordingly.

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