http://www.achicagoblog.com/politics/the-decline-of-the-association-tocqueville-and-teachout/ Living and breathing in the Second City Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:11:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 http://www.achicagoblog.com/politics/the-decline-of-the-association-tocqueville-and-teachout/#comment-2054 Mike Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:13:58 +0000 http://www.achicagoblog.com/?p=484#comment-2054 Well, I agree that some times government does things better. Building infrastructure is one of them. Education and Social Welfare though? Not so much. Well, I agree that some times government does things better. Building infrastructure is one of them. Education and Social Welfare though? Not so much.

]]> http://www.achicagoblog.com/politics/the-decline-of-the-association-tocqueville-and-teachout/#comment-2053 Eric Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:21:56 +0000 http://www.achicagoblog.com/?p=484#comment-2053 The whole thesis of the decline of associations is one I find a bit maddening. I tend to think that the kind of cheap/free, flexible organizing and coordinating that can happen online has replaced a lot of the need to create formal special-purpose organizations. Certainly not *all* of the need (I'm working on finalizing the bylaws for such an organization right now, to ensure its longevity after I quit wanting to run it), but a lot of it. I do also think some of dropoff is due to the government providing more services than it used to, reducing the need to organize to produce a lot of public goods. Being me, though, I think that's by and large a good thing, because I don't want to have to build bridges and prisons myself! The whole thesis of the decline of associations is one I find a bit maddening. I tend to think that the kind of cheap/free, flexible organizing and coordinating that can happen online has replaced a lot of the need to create formal special-purpose organizations. Certainly not *all* of the need (I’m working on finalizing the bylaws for such an organization right now, to ensure its longevity after I quit wanting to run it), but a lot of it. I do also think some of dropoff is due to the government providing more services than it used to, reducing the need to organize to produce a lot of public goods. Being me, though, I think that’s by and large a good thing, because I don’t want to have to build bridges and prisons myself!

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