tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20142791.post3067516768853984476..comments2024-03-11T07:41:19.149-04:00Comments on The Perfect Substitute: Divorce in the Social Welfare FunctionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20142791.post-89632356087481437962008-04-16T11:09:00.000-04:002008-04-16T11:09:00.000-04:00Wow, talk about regulation causing more problems. ...Wow, talk about regulation causing more problems. We've got a state run enterprise that generates less than desirable outcomes, and now we want to throw *more* money at it to try and fix the problem? Sweet crispy Christ.<BR/><BR/>What would a private marriage system generate? There may be some undesirable outcomes here too, in terms of your post, but that's the proper comparison to make-- private marriage vs. public. You wouldn't have a one size fits all marriage structure; you could have unique marriage contracts. Some contracts could be very low commitment, and thus could be very low cost to end. To this end, you could have more divorces...but these divorces could be less costly. Then again, maybe these less costly marriages would last longer since they fit the couple better; in this case, you'd have fewer divorces AND they could be less costly.<BR/><BR/>You could imagine some traction problems for some areas of government provision if they were to be privatized-- they'd work, but it might take a while for them to work out the kinks (as with any business). I do not think marriage would be one of them. I could see this functioning very well in the very short term.<BR/><BR/>Also...divorce could be welfare enhancing. You hint at this a bit with the maybe-some-parents-shouldn't-be-around-kids note. It's impossible to determine ex ante (who know what's going to happen?) or ex post (who knows what would have happened?), but if kids end up in a better scenario afterwards, it's not only welfare enhancing but a Pareto optimal move as well (assuming both parents want a divorce).Matt E. Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00290146649328322694noreply@blogger.com