The Pros And Cons Of Occupational Licensing

I found Sean Higgins article titled, “States rethink occupational license rules” compelling, considering that licensing rules prove to be more harmful than beneficial economically. From a statistical standpoint, it would appear that no one ultimately benefits. By increasing the use of occupational licensing, consumers are denied the full range of potential services on the market and it creates friction for those who wish to enter it. However, one item I wished Higgins addressed more in-depth concerned why we still have licensing regulations if they’ve continually been proven to be harmful. I concede he stated that most justify it as a public safety precaution, which makes sense for certain fields. My concern, however, is why we have licensing