Re: [CH] Powder and Comments

David Wright (dtwright@texas.net)
Sat, 31 Jan 1998 12:28:53 -0600 (CST) 

At 09:35 AM 1/31/98 -0800, Constance Allen wrote:
>I don't understand what is meant by "free market self-regulation through
>voluntary association and certification". 
>
>Would this mean that the beef industry would monitor the quality of the meat
>we buy?  

<snip>

>Rich McCormack wrote:

>> Keep in mind that Calvin will most likely have to pass the cost of
>> complying with those regulations on to those eager buyers...that, too,
>> is a fact of life.  There are better, more econimcal ways of assuring
>> product quality than relying on bloated government bureaurocacy.  Free
>> market self-regulation through voluntary association and certification
>> would create a win-win situation for both producer and consumer.

I, of course, am not trying to speak for Rich, but here's what I thought of
when I read his statement. 

I was a museum director in the '70s when we, collectively, realized that we
would have to develop our own standards for the museum profession unless we
were willing to have government agencies do it for us. This resulted in a
museum certification program that separated what we think of as "real"
museums from the roadside "see the two-headed Gila monster" kinds of places. 

It's the same idea as the AMA setting standards for physicians in
conjunction with government, rather than having governments set them
arbitrarily. As Rich said, it is "voluntary association and certification,"
and says to the world that a certain group is proud to meet standards set
by fellow professionals.

I have no problem with appropriate government agencies being interested in
the standards set for such groups (the American Chile Producers Assn. -- if
there is such a thing -- for example), I'd just rather not have agencies
outside the profession/business set them arbitrarily. 

FWIW, I think standards are higher if they are set from within the group in
question rather than from without. After all, how many of us would want our
means of support (financial and moral) represented by cheaters?

David