Green Unemployment in Spain

I know smart people who are convinced that we could create tons of new jobs and new prosperity if only we forced industry to go green. Green jobs, man. Green technology, man. Yes, we can!

No, no se puede. Spain tried it and discovered that for every one new green job there were two old jobs that got lost. Green layoffs.

Bastiat knew that when you tried to create work for the glassmakers by breaking windows, the end result was really just a bunch of broken glass. You can ignore Bastiat for a while if you want, but like the Gods of the Copybook Headings, he always returns.