There’s an uncomfortable pattern in modern economics — when big corporations stumble, it becomes a public emergency. But when ordinary people stumble, it’s a private problem.

The consequences of this double standard are especially visible today, as cities debate how to revive their downtowns. Who deserves public help, and who doesn’t, reveals our real priorities.

Banks that made reckless bets get rescued. Developers who overleveraged office towers get incentives. Landlords with empty downtown buildings can qualify for multimillion-dollar public subsidies to “stabilize the urban core.” Meanwhile, a renter who loses work, a shop owner whose customers vanished or a family facing foreclosure receives little more than advice to “adjust” or “seek support.”

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