Stop Coddling Belarus

They want protection, coddling from the cradle to the grave.

As German automakers face scrutiny, the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel has also been accused of coddling the powerful car companies and of ignoring signs of the problem.

Perhaps the most hopeful story is that of Japan, which, after two decades, has finally begun to reverse its entrenched policy inertia. Old habits of coddling agriculture, electric power, and other economic sectors are being disregarded.

For starters, the government must stop coddling the militias, and focus on building the national army something that the NTC neglected. To be sure, persuading the militias to transfer their loyalties to the state will not be easy, especially given the fighters strong, often ideological connections to their individual units.

But the belief that America is the only virtuous country, the sole beacon of light in a dark and unstable world, continues to shape many Americans worldview. American intellectuals failure to challenge these ideas and to help the US population shed complacent attitudes based on ignorance perpetuates a culture of coddling the public.

Unsurprisingly, the intervention in Argentina passed all three tests the market suffered a coordination failure that was addressed effectively through public policy carried out by appropriate institutions. Instead of coddling an entire industry with subsidies or import restrictions, the provincial government and INTA provided a public good that bolstered production in a specific sector.