Rothbardian railroad regulation

Economics Economics Questions
1

Ahhh, alliteration…

Anyways, I seem to recall a lecture/some sort of audio thing in the Mises library with Rothbard talking about railroad regulation during the late 1800’s and how this resulted in regulatory capture/etc..

I’ve gotten into a debate with someone else regarding the history of this regulation and would like to find the lecture again. Does anyone happen to know what it is/can give me some links of Rothbard snort/laughing about it?

Thanks~

2

The Railroading of the American People ?

3

That should be the link.

Rothbard is very clear that there’s no ‘capture’ going on here - you can’t seize something you create. Regulation was in fact lobbied for hard by the railroads themselves and as being in their own interest. Railroads were cutting prices and the railroads wanted to stop that. Because free market cartels don’t work they had to achieve it through regulation.

4

Thanks guys.