Much energy has been expended discussing how jobs and economic growth might best be secured. In this debate, one theory suggests that it is necessary to subsidize potential businesses heavily in order to spark economic activity and thus gain wealth. The underlying idea here is that such economic activity would not occur if it were not promoted by political action. However, this conclusion is unwarranted and is espoused by abandoning a sound economic and ethical analysis. This article examines the fundamental economic and ethical principles that bolster such thinking.
Paul A. Cleveland, "Grand Theft Auto: The Immorality of Business Subsidies," Journal of Markets & Morality 3, no. 1 (Spring 2000): 58-66