The evidence available indicates that licensing tends to enhance the capabilities of the licensed professionals, resulting in better delivered quality. Often, however, this is not reflected in better quality received in the society as a whole. One question arises: why is the quality deterioration from excessive restriction not more widely noticed and protested? Perhaps the chief reason is that the restrictions do not tend to be binding on the more vocal upper and middle income classes. They, who could afford to do their own screening anyway, would likely opt for more expensive, highly trained service even without licensing. Private search costs are thus saved for these. It is the lower middle income classes and poor, those less likely to be articulate and vocal on this type of policy question, who tend to be short-changed and offered low quality or no service at all.
Loading...