Reflections on the Pros and Cons of State Regulation*

Abstract: Societies need regulation of human behaviour and human social interaction if they want to maintain a system of ordered relationships and, thus, to survive and prosper. Inevitably, it raises the question of who regulates what, when, how, and why on the basis of what title, at what costs, and with what consequences. In modern soci-eties, which are complex systems, an important role is played by state regulation, which may be more or less permissive or restrictive. In any case, it is a source of tensions and conflicts in society. Yet, permissive state regulation is preferable to restrictive. The rea-son is that by encouraging spontaneity, i.e. individual freedom and self-regulation, al-beit within a stable framework of general ex ante rules, it positively contributes to pros-perity and development and reduces non-compliance with government-made formal rules, such as second economy activity. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review, 2002, Vol. 38, No. 3: 311-325 Regulation of human behaviour and human social interaction is a universal feature of so-cieties, whether traditional or modern. In the latter, on account of their size and complex role and subsystem differentiation, it inevitably takes place at different levels, albeit with