> Government had to provide basic services during a time of emergency
There were widespread fuel shortages.
> regulations in place to stop people taking advantage of vulnerable people
There were no fuel shortages for folks who could buy on the black market.
> Sounds good
In a sense, the system works. The part of the population that feels good with these rules sits out of the market. The part that thinks it’s silly has access, in part thanks to the shortages/forced curtailment caused by regulation in the legal market, albeit at a steeper mark-up (plus the inherent risks to black market trading).
There were widespread fuel shortages.
> regulations in place to stop people taking advantage of vulnerable people
There were no fuel shortages for folks who could buy on the black market.
> Sounds good
In a sense, the system works. The part of the population that feels good with these rules sits out of the market. The part that thinks it’s silly has access, in part thanks to the shortages/forced curtailment caused by regulation in the legal market, albeit at a steeper mark-up (plus the inherent risks to black market trading).