Regulation

[rojse]

I have seen a thread start to turn in a debate about regulation, and I think that it is worth a separate thread.

Do you support regulation of some work?

Why or why not?

[rojse]

I support regulation of some professions, where the work they do has an impact on the wider community, or where the work that a worker performs can be dangerous to the client or the worker.

As an example of the first, I would cite cadastral surveying. Should a cadastral surveyor make a mistake in his work, he may cause the client to build property that infringes on neighbouring land, or does not comply with local building construction laws. If it is not you that hires a poor cadastral surveyor, your neighbour might, and he could say that your building infringes on his property, which could cost you thousands of dollars, with the cadastral survey as evidence of your infringement.

For the second one, a doctor is a good example where his work could put you at risk. If he is not competent in surgery, you could be disabled or killed in the operating theatre. An electrician is also a good example - faulty wiring could kill you or kill him.

Regulation is a guarantee that the person you pay to do work for you is able to do that work competently, without risk to your life or his.

[spiritually inclined]

Good post, rojse. I agree.

James

[Ever learning]

I am all for regulation and it should be that way for most professions, even prostitution.

[UltraViolet]

Unfortunately,
the kind/"type" of world we live in "requires" regulation I guess.
(or it wouldn't be what it is, would it?)

I've got my sights on a whole 'nother kind of world though.
It looks nothing like this one.
The world I inVision, is actually the world which I "support".
(or actively bring about in my awakened living there)

So do I actively "support" regulation? no.
Do I realize that it is at least minimally necessary
(for people's safety) as things stand now? yes.

I do detest over-regulation however,
and we are over-regulated past our eyeballs.
Good luck finding your personal inner freedom,
swimming through this veritable sea of regulation.

I really do dislike this whole world system.
Can you tell? blech.

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Originally Posted by rojse

For the second one, a doctor is a good example where his work could put you at risk. If he is not competent in surgery, you could be disabled or killed in the operating theatre. An electrician is also a good example - faulty wiring could kill you or kill him.

Even hairdressing is a good example: improper hygiene on the part of a barber or stylist could be a major health hazard.

Personally, I think the level of regulation and oversight should be proportional to the potential for harm.

Originally Posted by theNEWreality

I do detest over-regulation however,
and we are over-regulated past our eyeballs.
Good luck finding your personal inner freedom,
swimming through this veritable sea of regulation.

OTOH, good luck finding your personal inner freedom while your roof collapses on you. Letting the regulated architects, engineers and contractors worry about that stuff leaves you free to focus on things like "finding personal inner freedom".

I think the US (you are in the US, right?) is a special case: to me, an outsider looking in, it seems like the sentiment you're putting forward is fairly common, but it (as well as states' rights, probably) makes it difficult to have a good overall strategy for business and professional licencing, certification and regulation. The result is a system that's more onerous to deal with because it's been done piecemeal... or at least, that's what it seems like to me. Just in terms of the red tape involved in doing business (and WAY more if you want to do business in more than one jurisdiction), I'd rather be in Canada or the UK than the US. The USA is held up as the "land of freedom", but I think that ideal has, in a way, led to a system of rules that hampers freedom more than if you had acknowledged the need for regulation and decided to do it sensibly from the beginning.

[Terrywoodenpic]

In some countries they are much stricter about this than others

In German you can not even operate as a Secretary or a photographer with out regulation and regular reassessment.

[Booko]

I'm in favor of regulation in some areas, and others not. For example, in the state of Louisiana you must have a license to have a business arranging flowers. This strikes me as nothing short of ridiculous.

There are other silly regulations such as a beautician may not cut a male's hair, but a barber may cut any gender's hair. Again, this strikes me as nothing more than one group trying to keep access to a client base. There is nothing logical about it.

otoh, there are professions where serious harm can be done. Healthcare professions are one example, and lawyers another. Some licensing requirements would seem to be in order, though in my experience liscensing isn't enough to prevent harm. It may reduce harm, however.

The other side of this, though, is that in the U.S., naturopaths must couch everything in terms of "education" or risk being tossed in jail. We are not allowed to touch patients, which makes it rather difficult to instruct someone in techniques of hydrotherapy, for just one example.

Eventually I expect I will spend a year getting licensed as a massage therapist so that I can legally do the obvious to relieve someone of a headache. Again, those regulations have more to do with one group in healthcare having advantage over another, and I have little respect for that, nor do I find it useful, as people who are ill are less able to get help that is appropriate for their condition.

[rojse]

Originally Posted by Booko