1. What function of the market will be disrupted by the intervention?

  2. What purpose, sought by human beings seeking to maximize their value scales, is served by that market function?

  3. If the intervention prevents people from achieving that purpose by normal market means, then what alternative action(s) will they take to realize it?

  4. What was the alleged market shortcoming used to justify the intervention? Is that shortcoming a real, lasting condition? Is it perhaps an effect of earlier interventions?

The above questions presuppose, of course, that market action, like all human action, is not random or impersonal, but rather arises from individuals pursuing their purposes (p. 4.4:1). This checklist should be valuable to the student who is confronted with other interventionist proposals not specifically covered in this course.  Next page
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