Roads and bridges are part of governance, deciding where bridges should be built, trails blazed, and directions of travel on which sides of what roads. This leaves it up to drivers to remain within the lines and decide their own courses and speeds. But, with lines and limits come regulation—policing of rules with ongoing evaluation, one case at a time. Bullies are regulators’ biggest and oldest problem.
The need for regulation is a two-sided, single edged blade. On one side we have the problem of anarchy, seen in Hong Kong’s Walled City—made entirely without planning, dirty, disease infested, drug dominated, and structurally dangerous. On the other side we have the housing development companies that want to evict the local residency, crushing them under gentrification, merely for profit. Politicians ride the fence, seeking both votes and money. Good regulation slices through these issues.
Capitalism conquered aristocracy, but it could never eradicate it. When elitists cannot defeat their enemy, they join him. This led to the aristocratic shape-shifting into “crony Capitalism”, an impostor, resulting in “corptocracy”. It’s the ongoing game of the old aristocracy seeking to regain control through what Capitalist economics labels “monopoly”—total control over the market.
Capitalist free-markets are not without their criminals who need policing and regulating. Monopoly is anti-Capitalist by definition. Government’s role includes the regulations of wealthy people and businesses that get close to monopolizing an entire sector of the market.
Regulation is a mid-level of governance and management. Times change, as do technologies and strategies of Men both good and evil. Regulation is an ongoing work, requiring standing committees and revolving officers who oversee constant creation of new rules and retirement of old rules. They are the watchmen who protect from dangers inside the walls.
As aristocrats sneak about and devise evil plans to seize power once again, regulators must stand ready to stop them. New roads must be dozed and old structures razed, so must regulators proceed tenderly as to injure no one in the name of “eminent domain for public good”. Politicians, officials, and even regulators themselves can become corrupted, meaning that ultimate power of regulation must remain in the hands of the people at large.