If you want a stark demonstration of the ideological divide
between people who think the state knows what’s best for everyone and those who
value personal choice, look no further than the private car.
People love cars for a whole lot of reasons, but their root
appeal lies in the fact that they give us options. They enable us to make
choices about where and when we travel, and with whom.
This enrages and frustrates ideologues who envision a
Utopian collectivist society where such decisions are made by politicians and
bureaucrats, supposedly for the common good.
The very existence of the private car is an affront to these
zealots, because it prioritises individual autonomy over the ideal of a
compliant society where people are made to do things their way.
