“The Broken Window Fallacy” is used to show that you can’t create
prosperity through destruction. Fake jobs like the private security industry
aren’t creators of prosperity. A step forward with money over barter was that I
don’t need what you are selling, if you want what I am selling. Money will
suffice. The Broken Window idea is that by breaking something, I need to pay to
get it fixed, and so it starts a chain of events that gets people working.
Except. You can’t see what would have happened anyway. How the money would have
been spent. There is however still a very real coordination problem. People who
could be working who can’t find work. Needs we don’t know we have, and people
with the skills and knowledge to meet them who we aren’t connected with. People
with potential but no support. Finding clients. Finding the money for the
things we need. An understanding problem. A communication problem. A funding
problem. We don’t need to break things to see, but we do have to look and
listen.
Fake Work doesn't create prosperity
