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Originally Posted by Joannah Cramer  Ehh, it's not. Free market is perhaps rough equivalent of anarchy (no regulations beyond 'what the market can bear') and that's totally different beast from democracy.
You can easily have free market lead to monopoly/oligopoly whose political equivalents (oligarchy etc) are nothing like democracy. | I think the general understanding of "free market" as preserving the actions of individuals stands. It was free market reforms that brought Pinochet to democratise Chile, and eventually stand trial for his crimes.
People keep saying that about free market leads to monopoly, but in fact I've always seen it quite different in practice. It is the interference of government, especially courts and "parliaments" like Ashcroft's, that supports and nourishes monopolies and nationalises industries.
And that's easily proven, court case after court case defending the rights of big biz in America.
Corporations are a legal animal that wouldn't exist too well if they didn't have such a body of law to support their legal existence.
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"To begin with," said the Cat, "a dog's not mad. You grant that?"
"I suppose so," said Alice.
"Well, then," the Cat went on, "you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad."
"I call it purring, not growling," said Alice.
"Call it what you like," said the Cat. |