“A society whose businesses engage in cronyism instead of serving people will not be prosperous, and in America it is clear that cronyism is becoming a more common choice,” writes Sam Patterson at EconomicFreedom.org.
Cronyism is the practice of seeking business success through government rather than through markets. The difference is that business succeeds in the market by providing goods and services that people are willing to buy. Political cronyism, on the other hand, results in people being forced to buy from, or to otherwise involuntarily subsidize, certain business firms that have succeeded in the political arena.
In Kansas, despite the fiscal conservatism of Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and many members of the legislature, political cronyism thrives. An example is the increased powers given to the Kansas PEAK program (Promoting Employment Across Kansas). A more recent example is the vote to extend the STAR bonds program. Both programs provide business firms a way to obtain money isolated from market forces. Instead, applicants must meet the guidelines of a government program.
In Wichita and Sedgwick County, cronyism is firmly established as economic development policy. It’s little wonder that our policies are failing and we are losing people and income to other states.
Cronyism Undermines the Beneficial Role of Business in Society
By Sam Patterson
The role that business plays in society is straightforward — businesses produce goods and services that people consider beneficial. If a business can do that while wisely using resources, it makes a profit. Successful businesses benefit society by producing goods or services which improve people’s lives, and are then rewarded with profit. Those profits enable businesses to innovate or offer more goods and services, further improving people’s lives. Businesses must cater to the needs of society or they will find that they are not rewarded with profit and may well no longer exist.
At least, that’s how it works in a free market. There is another path for businesses to make profit other than providing valuable products. It’s called cronyism. Cronyism occurs when a business colludes with government officials to create unfair legislation and/or regulations which give them benefits they could not have otherwise obtained voluntarily.
Continue reading at Cronyism Undermines the Beneficial Role of Business in Society.
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