Roy,
Just imagine the political battles we’d now have if we had established carpentry districts, say in the 1840s. Anyone who would suggest a separation of carpentry and state would be attacked as an enemy of carpentry. Books and papers would be written proving that a free market in carpentry would mean that only the rich would be able to afford to have carpenters, a situation that would be a great affront to our commitment to social justice. And of course, all of the district’s carpenters would be trained and licensed by the state to ensure high quality. The schools of carpentry would take years to complete, but the students would hardly ever touch a saw or hammer. The courses instead would emphasize things like “Cultural Competence for Carpenters.” Carpentry would seldom be done well — but it would be free.
