paternalism
paternalismThe attitude favouring laws and policies which seek to control people's actions, overriding their preferences for their own good. This is inconsistent with the view usually taken in welfare economics, that people are the best judges of their own interests, at least in the case of sane and sober adults. Their actions should thus be constrained only when this is necessary to prevent them from harming other people or the environment. It can be argued that there is some degree of paternalism in many economic regulations, such as those concerning consumer protection and employment. It is possible to attempt to justify paternalism by the argument that the state can afford expert advice, which means that it knows better than individuals what is really good for them. Many people are not fully convinced by such arguments.
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