In what sorts of ways does government interfere with businesses, making them less productive?

Question

In what sorts of ways does government interfere with businesses, making them less productive?

Answer 1

IRS paperwork

OSHA

DOE

EPA

Permits for everything

Permits for the permits!

Answer 2

OSHA

Answer 3

the biggest way is by raising taxes.

Answer 4

I don't think you could count the ways in a book.

In some towns you can't open a hot dog stand without getting a fist full of permits from various bureaucrats.  Some of the other ways are requiring details reports on every telephone call made or travel "for tax purposes" or keeping certain extensive records for "compliance enforcement."

Other businesses are required to hire people approved by the state (have some sort of license).  For example in many places you can't hire someone to braid hair if they aren't certified by the state to be a licensed hair braid-er.  Which of course costs $thousands.

Probably the single most damaging law is the "minimum wage" law which prohibits hiring people who aren't able to perform at some predetermined level of productivity.

These laws exist mostly because politicians like to tell the voters how much they are "looking out for you" and how they "are helping you."  In other words, it's all for your own good.  Which is not true, but in order to realize that, you have to think for yourself.

Answer 5

it sets minimum wages. without them, they could theoretically pay their employees less and be more efficient

it sets regulations of production (for example, the FDA makes sure the food we eat is safe, but it means food businesses have to go thorugh extra precautions, spend more money, etc)

Answer 6

Well in around 1906, President Teddy Roosevelt was heavy into involving the government in what's called "Trust Busting." What he did was try to break down big, successful companies, oil companies for example, to give the lesser known, more local sized companies a chance of survival.  

He also initiated meat inspection laws and catapulted what would eventually be known as the Food and Drug Administration. Authorities were sent into factories to test the safety, cleanliness, and overall acceptability of working conditions. Factories could be shut down if they weren't up to par with regulations.

Same with Railroads. If RR companies favored certain aristocrats or gave discounts to certain benefactors, the government would keep tabs on their actions to monitor what they were doing. Check out the Elkins Act.

Hope I helped some!