Why "You Didn't Build That" Resonates

Does this answer the question? What was the rate of decline in air pollution prior to the Clean Air Act, and did that rate increase at a greater rate than it was already increasing prior to 1970?

Indur Goklany, involved with the National Commission on Air Quality as chief for technical assessment, wrote a book on the subject of the Clean Air act called "Clearing the Air". Here's a portion of it: http://wc.wustl.edu/files/wc/federal gov.pdf. He shows, through meticulous study, that air quality was improving at an ever greater rate prior to the Act.

 

I know where this is going to go, Ken. I'll list out a bunch of links, you'll list out yours, and in the end, neither of us will change our views.

 

Why such a pessimistic view? Is human society incapable of being egalitarian? To me, this just seems like a jaded view of humanity.

And some, such as modern day Switzerland and Luxembourg haven't had histories violence against their own people and also have some of the most generous welfare states. I'm not trying to imply that we ought be emulating them, but simply pointing out the a greater reliance on the public sector doesn't necessarily imply totalitarian or oppressive regimes.

Probably not the example you were expecting, but Underwriter Laboratories has had a major impact on ventilation as it relates to fire control. It's self regulation from the private sector, but that doesn't change the underlying fact that regulation led to better results (safer homes and offices in this case)