Quote:
Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G
Yet this system, in which a token but arbitrary handful of the more destitute are spared at the expense of, among others, the slightly less destitute, is somehow preferable to one that only a hardened Marxist could argue doesn't still have the capacity to reward those who merit it?  |
If you're interested in a somewhat long and boring read, I'd recommend
Blueprint for Disaster, written about the CHA.
Basically this is the story of CHA's colossal failure during the 20th century, spurred in large part by a national and local desire to focus on only the poorest and worst-off Americans. In the minds of conservatives, when it comes to government programs, there is a very fine line between safety net and socialism.
However, when you give special treatment to only the worst-off, you create all kinds of harmful side effects and perverse incentives, sometimes enough to doom the program altogether. Conversely, the most successful government programs are those like Social Security and Medicare that everyone is eligible for.
To get back to the topic at hand: does Paris have these same types of restrictions on micro-units? Most building and zoning codes in first-world cities were liberal responses to the "horror" of the c.1920 slums. Well-meaning regulations that set minimum unit sizes, capped density, ensured open space, access to light and ventilation, etc. Certainly the last time I was in Paris I stayed in a very small 1-bedroom Montmartre apartment with maybe two tiny windows in the whole place, both looking out to a tiny light well. I never felt claustrophobic or unpleasant - if I needed space it was easy to head out to the boulevard.