Since the system could well not be consistent some end up paying more than they owe with the consequence that the business they just started or tried to build goes bankrupt because of taxation. I leave it to you to think about the similarities between this situation and the growing second economy in the United States, one which if folks had to pay taxes would result in them being unable to support their family, thus increasing the government's welfare burden. My favorite observation was the relationship between having electricity and paying for it. When I arrived in Tblisi I was told that the electricity was off much of the time including in offices there because folks don't pay their bill. After learning more however I found out that people don't pay their bill because they don't have electricity much of the time and they have no way to influence the quality or quantity of the service.
Alternative systems are of course developing and the sale of generators is a great business.
They have been experimenting in some places with privatizing the utilities, offering electricity 24 hours a day and cutting it off specifically to the folks that don't pay. Guess what, people pay and they are involved in those situations. As I reflect on this visit my overwhelming observation is how much emerging markets, rural and very urban America have similar challenges and similar problems in other parts of the world. Comparisons are valuable not to create choice between limited resources but to build knowledge and a recognition that when we discuss the value of healthy communities to each of us that we think as broadly as we can. Back to top .