Friday 13 January 2006

One an hour

So, we've employed another 9,000 public sector workers (sic) in Scotland in the last year.

But, don't worry:

Ministers said the rise reflected a strong economy...
This isn't reassuring:
Although the private sector employs about three times as many people, public sector employment is growing at nearly twice the rate.
Perhaps this may be a somewhat naive question, but haven't these people ever heard of Frederic Bastiat?

No, thought not.

May I recommend this quotation from the great man:

... you will oblige me to call out, "Stop there! Your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen."
The problem isn't just the huge cost of this growing army of tax-consumers (that which is seen), but the opportunity cost of what the 9,000 could have produced in the real economy (that which is not seen).

1 comment:

David Farrer said...

Comment made on previous template:

Robert Speirs
All that's necessary is that the new private sector jobs produce enough extra for the increase in public sector jobs. In this wise way, expansion of public sector employment spurs productivity in the private sector.
13 January 2006, 19:35:37 GMT