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Comment by dmix | Hacker News Reader

Price controls always make the problem worse directly or indirectly. But its perfect for politicians who don't care about that or don't bother to look at economic history.

Something too expensive? Just force the price to be lower. It's such a simple message that it will be one of those things every generation will 'rediscover' as the solution to everything.

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It is relatively easy, if it is not attractive, because of the price, less people will offer, there will be less offer, less quality, even to the extrem of no offer at all. I’ve seen it over and over again. I have never seen a good result of price control politics. I please ask the down-voters to show me examples where it succeeded. There must be some example somewhere

The problem is the subjective definition of "succeeded", it's never going to succeed on all counts because the problem rent controls is dancing around is not enough supply, and so the solution it's offering is just to change who the winners and losers are in a way that is more acceptable to voters than the status quo. So by that measure they're a success in all the places where voters keep voting for them.

Rent control is especially insidious because it is almost enacted on a local level. That means the people benefitting are the ones who get to vote on it, and the people most hurt have no say. Basically the left wing version of exclusionary zoning.

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