"The most basic question is not what is best, but who shall decide what is best"

At the heart of Thomas Sowell’s statement lies a foundational concern about the structure and function of power within society. Far from being a technical or procedural detail, the problem of “who shall decide what is best” reaches into the core of social organization, governance, and human freedom. The phrase draws attention away from debates on what particular policies, programs, or values are optimal. Instead, it asks us to reflect upon the identity and legitimacy of the decision-makers.

When people argue over what is best, a policy, a lifestyle, an allocation of resources, they often do so presuming a shared authority: that some person or group has the right, or capability, to make that determination for others. The practical outcome of most public and private disputes often hinges not simply on demonstrable efficacy, but on which individuals or collective bodies get to impose their judgments on the rest. Beneath the surface of every technocratic debate or social controversy is an unresolved tension about control: should it rest with experts, elected officials, popular majorities, small communities, or autonomous individuals?

Sowell’s argument implies skepticism toward central planners, bureaucrats, and even benevolent authorities who might believe they are acting in the public’s best interests. He signals the limits of expert knowledge and the risks inherent in giving unilateral power over others. Throughout history, even well-intentioned elites have misunderstood or overlooked the needs, preferences, and unique circumstances of individuals. Once established, the authority to decide can persist over time and become insulated from feedback or correction.

This emphasis shifts the burden to examining institutional arrangements: checks and balances, dispersal of authority, protection of individual rights, and mechanisms for contestation and change. Ultimately, rather than constantly seeking abstract perfection in solutions, societies must prioritize transparency, accountability, and the structures that safeguard against the misuse of prescribing what “is best” for all.