Some serious thunderstorms passed through here this afternoon. I was on my way home from work driving in substantial rain and standing water when I realized that the majority of traffic lights were out. No, I don't mean that they were flashing yellow and red, they were completely out.
I know what you're thinking.....certainly the police would be there to direct traffic. But no, I saw three different police vehicles driving near/through these lights, and not one of them stopped to direct traffic.
Imagine the chaos, the anarchy, that would ensue. No government direction of traffic during an afternoon rush hour, surely we would all be the victims of a catastrophic automobile armageddon!
What actually happened was a testament to individuals who belong to a culture of individual liberty and free market exchange. We are used to cooperating with each other. So at each of the blacked-out intersections I passed through, a spontaneous organization of traffic via a 4-way stop method broke out! All drivers, realizing the situation and the potential benefits from cooperation, were able to work out a completely non-verbal, non-hierarchical method of directing traffic amongst themselves. This is a central tenant of market-based economics. No central, coercive authority is needed for there to be order and efficiency in a society.
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