25. The question of uniform text books throughout your state.
26. At what point in the school curriculum should vocational education be begun?
27 How are ancient languages, ancient history and the fine arts helpful in daily life?
28. The question of a more intensive use of your school building as a social center.
PART IV—AMERICAN POLITICAL PROBLEMS
A. SOME ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER XXVII
PUBLIC INTEREST IN BUSINESS: REGULATION
322. NECESSITY OF PUBLIC INTEREST IN BUSINESS.—Although individuals carry on business primarily for their own ends, the economic activities of men affect not only themselves, but the community as well. If every individual voluntarily confined his attention to those forms of business which strengthened the community as well as adding to his own prosperity, there would be little need for laws regulating the conduct of business. But because experience has shown that some persons will seek to benefit themselves in ways that react to the injury of the community, it becomes necessary for law to adjust private and public interests. A community cannot remain indifferent to the economic activities of its citizens. Public interest in business is a fundamental necessity, if the community is to be safeguarded against the abuses of free enterprise.
323. NATURE OF PUBLIC INTEREST IN BUSINESS.—In general, the object of laws regulating business is either to encourage helpful business methods, or to discourage harmful business methods. A good deal of legislation has been designed positively to encourage helpful business methods, yet it remains true that the most significant of our industrial laws have been aimed primarily at the discouragement of harmful business. A fundamental American ideal is to insure to the individual as much freedom of action as is consistent with the public interest. Thus we believe that if harmful business is controlled or suppressed, private initiative may be trusted to develop helpful business methods, without the aid of fostering legislation. In this and the following chapter, therefore, we may confine our attention to legislation designed to suppress harmful business methods.