Hacker News Reader

Comment by nradov | Hacker News Reader

Instead of mandating particular technologies, a better solution would be to just impose a gradually escalating carbon tax and let the free market sort things out. If gasoline costs €20/l then consumption will be so low as to make the environmental impact minimal.

View on HN

So you can destroy the planet, but only if you're rich?

With wealth inequality where it is, trying this would spawn a very quick, very unpleasant revolt.

Strikes me as one of those things —like public health— that's better if we all follow the same rules, all the time.

> tax

> free market

Yes?

I mean, the free market has always operated within the constraints of public policy. Law mandated an end to slavery, the free market adapted. Law mandated a minimum wage, the free market adapted.

I see no reason for why the imposition of yet another tax would make the market any less free then it always have been. It will adapt given the constraints applied.

No, that still sends the wrong signal: that rich people can buy their way out of doing their part. The same already happens to some degree with speed limits, which the owners of fast cars regularly ignore by driving just under the limit at which your car gets impounded. They don't give a damn about the fines. This leads to a class society in all but name. Some countries have the right idea on this front (progressive fines based on either income or value of the vehicle).

If you do that in the UK, you lose your license after doing this a few times. Drive without a license and you'll lose more than your car.

Do other countries not have point-based offenses?

It depends, some countries do, some don't.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com