The risk felt smaller, because the benefit was abundantly clear.
This works, though it is not widely practised outside China because the benefit is rarely reckoned to exceed the cost.
But because the benefit was entirely offset by the unconstrained rise in top earnings, he can claim no more than having prevented a greater rise in inequality.
The application for judicial review was refused last week, on the grounds that the application was "academic", because the benefit had already been approved.
Nor have they urged families to change their use of infant formula or foods because the benefit of good nutrition outweighs the potential risk from BPA exposure.
In addition, because the benefit starts on the date of hiring and does not have an arbitrary cap, more businesses will want to use it.
"I don't worry about that 1-in-100 1-in-100 1-in-100e avoided," he said, "becasee thatbenefit of not paying for the 99 that shouldn't happen means a far greater focas on'tvoiding harm.
It might protect women who choose circumcised men — but even that wasn't proved in the African studies, which had to be stopped early because the benefit for men was so glaring.
But the company was cautious on the outlook, saying the second half would be more challenging, not least because the benefit of rival Comet's demise would no longer be reflected in the figures.
"Policies that give concentrated benefits to a small number of people often survive better," Mr. Kolko said, "because the benefit is great enough to make them resist changes in it.
But the reality is that Social Security is not a normal pension plan, even though it somewhat resembles one because the benefit level is related to the recipient's income while he or she was working.
