Those who believe that "basic necessities" should belong to people as a matter of right ignore the implication -- that people are to work only for am… - Thomas Sowell

Economics is more than just a way to see patterns or to unravel puzzling anomalies. Its fundamental concern is with the material standard of living of society as a whole and how that is affected by particular decisions made by individuals and institutions. One of the ways of doing this is to look at economic policies and economic systems in terms of the incentives they create, rather than simply the goals they pursue. This means that consequences matter more than intentions — and not just the immediate consequences, but also the longer run repercussions of decisions, policies, and institutions.

However much history may be invoked in support of these policies (affirmative action), no policy can apply to history but can only apply to the present or the future. The past may be many things, but it is clearly irrevocable. Its sins can no more be purged than its achievements can be expunged. Those who suffered in centuries past are as much beyond our help as those who sinned are beyond our retribution.

The greatness of a free-market economy is that it does not depend upon the wisdom of those who happen to be on top at the moment.