Maybe not a great example: dentistry. While it is surely not "simple", I don't think it is nearly as complex as something like medicine, and it is fundamentally important basic need in everyone's life. But is also extremely expensive, and is often not covered by universal health even in countries where medicine is.
So, from time to time you'll hear, typically in ethnic communities in western countries, of non-certified people practicing dentistry off the books. I have no way of knowing what skill level they tend to operate at, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't somewhat equivalent to where mainstream dentistry was at say 20 years ago - so certainly not the best, but far better than nothing. But when it leaks out this is happening, they are shut down immediately.
As a comparison, auto mechanics is also quite complicated, but if you literally can't afford to have it dealer serviced, at least you have less-better but affordable alternatives. Not so with dentistry, because they have a powerful industry lobby that sees that any competition is formally illegal, and any freelancers have the full force of the law brought down to stop their practice. The argument for this I imagine would be "public safety", yet auto mechanics also has a public safety aspect, a much larger one I would argue, yet I can buy tools and work on my own car in my garage without breaking any laws.
And so it will go as technology progresses, industries and professions with government connections will often be untouchable.
The older I get, the more I see a similar pattern recurring everywhere (but in different forms), such as the "Why is rent so high and pay so low" article on the front page of HN today: https://hackertimes.com/item?id=10024681
Professional organizations, especially in medicine and law, are a disgusting selfish cabal enriching themselves at the expense of the sick and poor who are then priced out of their services.
Fortunately these lobbies are only national. You can always go to Vietnam / India / Whatever and get your non-emergency medical and dental care done there. I got my wisdom teeth out for $30 in Saigon; the only difference (besides $300 in price) was the tools were a little older and I was in an open-floor cubicle instead of a closed office.
Very good comparison!! I just pulled my gf's attention away from her ipad to read this to her. My only fear is that rather than loosen up the practice of dentistry, the government will begin tighter licensing on hand tool usage.
So, from time to time you'll hear, typically in ethnic communities in western countries, of non-certified people practicing dentistry off the books. I have no way of knowing what skill level they tend to operate at, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't somewhat equivalent to where mainstream dentistry was at say 20 years ago - so certainly not the best, but far better than nothing. But when it leaks out this is happening, they are shut down immediately.
As a comparison, auto mechanics is also quite complicated, but if you literally can't afford to have it dealer serviced, at least you have less-better but affordable alternatives. Not so with dentistry, because they have a powerful industry lobby that sees that any competition is formally illegal, and any freelancers have the full force of the law brought down to stop their practice. The argument for this I imagine would be "public safety", yet auto mechanics also has a public safety aspect, a much larger one I would argue, yet I can buy tools and work on my own car in my garage without breaking any laws.
And so it will go as technology progresses, industries and professions with government connections will often be untouchable.
The older I get, the more I see a similar pattern recurring everywhere (but in different forms), such as the "Why is rent so high and pay so low" article on the front page of HN today: https://hackertimes.com/item?id=10024681