The Regulation Causes the Corruption

The news that a New York man has been arrested and charged with bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with obtaining handgun permits from the New York Police Department is yet another reminder that unreasonably strict regulation is an invitation to corruption. If it didn't take months of waiting, hundreds of dollars in fees, and an extensive application to exercise one's Second Amendment right to bear arms in New York City, there'd be no need to bribe anyone. The more complex the regulation, the more likely it is that the market will find a way to circumvent it through illegality. That doesn't excuse lawbreaking, but it is an argument — not the only argument, but one argument — for keeping regulations simple and minimal.