The occupational licensing racket #wonkbook

Here's a fun fact: "In 1950, fewer than 5 percent of Americans worked in jobs that required licenses. Today, it’s roughly 30 percent, and that number is likely to grow."

That's from Jacob Goldstein, who notes that, at least in Utah, one of those jobs is "African hair-braider," which falls under the jurisdiction of the state's "Barber, Cosmetology/Barber, Esthetics, Electrology and Nail Technology Licensing Board" -- nice name -- and has been judged to require a cosmetology license at a cost of almost two years of school and $16,000 in tuition.

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