I Shot Wee Willie Winkie

An important area of “economic freedom” is the freedom to operate at all hours – what is also known as a “24-hour economy.”

“The City Never Sleeps,” as they say.

But here in India the authorities who cannot do anything right – cannot build roads, cannot manage traffic, cannot clear garbage, cannot solve crime – these very same worthless people impose a “Wee Willie Winkie Law” and force all establishments to close down well before midnight. Yet, Wee Willie Winkie put children in their beds; this law is for adults.

The protest that is in the news today comes from Bangalore, India’s most cosmopolitan and youthful city. The article compares cities like New York, Paris and Madrid to New Delhi, Calcutta and Pune. Our Indian cities come off as dead cities, bereft of nightlife. This is because of the tyranny of the authorities, who should not be allowed, by law, to impose any rules on closing time. These decisions should be taken by the proprietors and the employees themselves, keeping in mind the wants of their customers. If more and more customers come late in the night, and are served, it is good for the local economy, period. The extra taxes generated should be used to fund police patrols on the streets.

There are already many establishments that stay open all night – pharmacies, hospitals, highway dhabas, railway stations and airports among them. Why cannot then the entire city remain awake and commercially active at night?

Lastly: They call this the ICE Age: Information, Communication and Entertainment. The “I” and the “C” are working fine in India (especially in Bangalore) – but whatever happened to the “E”? What about Entertainment?

India has enormous talent in this area – just watch TV.

Live music and live dance should be big business in each and every city and town throughout India.

This is especially important for the children of poor people – who may not possess “education” but have been gifted by God with the particular talents the Entertainment industry values.

Recall that the children of black slaves in America first made it big in music (jazz) and sports. They had their own city – New Orleans – and it never slept.

A Rule of Law solution is to treat private property rights as inviolable. Each nightlife establishment is the property of a proprietor, and he alone is free to decide working hours, in agreement with his employees. No one from the government can interfere.

If this is made the Basic Law of the Second Indian Republic, Wee Willie Winkie will run no more through our city streets. And all the kids will party.

Onwards to a New Liberty!