Scott Adams's Gedankenexperiment

Thought experiment.

Imagine one American state implementing nothing but mainstream Republican policies while mainstream Democrat policies are implemented in another state, both without objection.

Describe what both states look like in 25 years.

My hypothesis is that…

— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) January 19, 2024

Some say that Korea is like this experiment: run half the country via central planning and the other half via the free market, and that's how you end up with that satellite photo:

If you're still a central planner after seeing that, you're a moron. People helping each other through voluntary exchange, producing an organic effect known in some circles as the "invisible hand," is the way to go. People who think they're smart enough to control other people's destinies are generally too stupid and arrogant to lead. I know some folks might try to counterargue that South Korea has been led by leftists, but even Korea's leftists have generally been to the right of the North's policies. And in point of fact, the majority of Korean leaders has been conservative. Does this make conservatives the exclusive possessors of nation-leading wisdom? Of course not. But on balance, they appear to be better leaders overall.