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Spring 2006
ISSN 0890-913X
Volume 22, Number 2

School Vouchers and Influence Costs

John D. McGinnis, Penn State Altoona
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JournalofPrivateEnterprise,VolumeXXI,Number2,Spring2006SchoolVouchersandInfluenceCostsJohnD.McGinnisPennStateAltoonaItisrelevanttopointoutthebackdropofthepublicationdateofMiltonFriedman'sCapitalismandFreedom.UpontheSovietlaunchofSputnikinthelate1950s,AmericanpoliticiansandeducatorsperceivedaninferiorityinintellectualperformanceamongAmericancitizens.Theproposedandimplementedsolutionwasforincreasedgovernmentspendinginhighereducationandincreasedspendingatstateandlocallevelsinprimaryandsecondaryschools.Inthefaceofthisstatistagenda,MiltonFriedmanreiteratedhis1955proposalforalesssocialistprogramoffinancingeducationavoucherprogramwherestudentswouldbegiventaxmoniestospendoneducationastheyandtheirparentssawfit.Thatgovernmentwouldbeotherwiseoutofthepictureineducationandthateducatorswouldhavetobecompetitivewitheachotherinrespondingtothedesiresofstudentsstruckmostatthetimeasaradicallyextremelibertarianidea.AsIwillargueinthispaper,thevoucherproposalwasnotandisnotextremeandcertainlyisnotlibertarian.Itmightbefairlycharacterizedasradicalinthatitdepartsinmanyimportantwaysfromtheorthodoxyofwhatiscalledpubliceducation.Itschiefeconomicbenefitsderivefromthereductionofwhatisknownintheeconomicsliteratureasinfluencecosts.However,avouchersystemdoesnoteliminateallorevenmostinfluencecosts.Further,avouchersystemperpetuatesthemistakennotionthateducationisapublicgood(intheeconomicsenseofthatterm)andtherebyformsanimpedimenttooptimaleducationalinvestmentbytheAmericanpeople.AFundamentalMistakeFriedmanwritesinChapter6ofCapitalismandFreedom:JohnD.McGinnis176
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