A Better Way to Regulate

Government regulates a lot. Whether checking up on the cleanliness of a restaurant, making sure people don't speed, or ensuring building codes are followed, government often plays an enforcer role.

Catching and punishing people who break the rules is expensive. At times enforcement is necessary, but might there be a better way to achieve the underlying public goal? After all, the point isn't to catch people screwing up--the goal is sanitary restaurants, safe streets, sound buildings and so forth.


In this five minute video, Babak Armajani of the Public Strategies Group offers four ideas for how to achieve your goal without relying strictly on enforcement. By guiding people to do the right thing on their own, you can lessen the dependence on enforcement and achieve better results for less.