Some Comments on Prairie Economic Alienation

Abstract

The paper comments on some of the main areas of Prairie economic discontent. A claim of regional economic discrimination is judged legitimate if it is directed at economic distortions clearly initiated by the federal government or other national institutions, and if removal of the distortion would unambiguously benefit the West. With these criteria two results emerge. First, many of the Prairie grievances are actually dissatisfaction with a market economy rather than with discriminatory policies of the federal government. Second, achievement of one apparently valid policy goal may in fact prejudice the attainment of others or involve an income distribution of uncertain value.