• 5318008@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    18
    ·
    7 days ago

    It’s basically the same as any other rule: if everyone follows the rule, you get a better result than when the thing is voluntary.

    Imagine there are no taxes and no welfare programs. Spending resources on the welfare of others is entirely voluntary.

    Let’s say 20% of the population does this. What happens? The 20% of the population which is the most altruistic has fewer resources, some of which was given to the 80% least altruistic people.

    If you do this repeatedly, what happens? The least altruistic people end up with the vast majority of resources. This is bad.

    What do we do instead? We establish a governmental welfare program, and we make everyone contribute to it, regardless of whether they’re altruistic or not.