Note to freepers. there is really no "free market". It's all about who controls the market.

Can anyone name a human activity that is not regulated on some level? I'm sure there must be some. Carry on.

I've seen the term "corporate communism" bandied about on DU of late. What exactly does it mean? :shrug:

When massive chunks of not only our economy, but the economies around the world are running on US taxpayer $$$. :wtf:

That's about all I can come up with.

But, those are qualities that result in unfortunate behaviors.

really wouldn't expect freeps to get it.

There must be laws and a justice department to enforce contracts and prevent people form stealing.
There must be means of efficiently transporting goods to markets and from markets to peoples' homes.
There must be a form of currency that all buyers and sellers can trust and agree upon.

All of these things cost money, normally and justly in the form of taxation.

:shrug:

Did I detect a note of sarcasm? ;)

It's not at all obvious to me that the public should enforce a man's private property rights. In fact, basic economics suggests that the most "efficient" solution would be to let the robber and the property owner work it out amongst themselves--whoever derives the most "utility" from the potentially stolen property will invest the appropriate amount of energy into defending/obtaining the property, and thus the "free market" will determine the true market value of the property.

That's the theory, at least. But for some reason, this "clockwork universe" model of economics breaks down at this point: rich people simply cannot remain rich without a huge number of poor people defending their "right" to be rich. It's not easy to come up with a reason that the poor should defend this alleged right under a "free market" ideology. Like I said: Why not let the market decide? :shrug:

What freedoms are worth fighting for? The freedom of corporations to exploit workers and form monopolies? Or the freedom of We the People to define the playing field and rules under which corporations operate?

If every man is free to act in his own best interest, why should I, a poor man, defend your property? Hire a private army; let the market decide. :hi:

A private army would take or burn your crops, kill you, conscript your sons, rape and enslave your wife and daughters, if they didn't kill everyone outright. :)

Let the man who most values the property pay to either defend it or to capture it. Thus the market determines the "true value" of the property in question. That's the theory often cited. It appears it isn't a universal theory, however, as it breaks down without a lot of public support.

Why is it taken for granted that the peasantry will fight and die for the right of a few to be rich?

Otherwise the "peasants" wouldn't. Insert patriotic propaganda or country of your choice " ______ uber alles".

People perennially suffer from a severe lack of critical thinking skills, basic knowledge of history and of human nature. Should I now go into a tearful funk lamenting the loss of the civilization as we know it? If I ever get to that point someone should put me in a nice "home" somewhere.

to buy expensive, Big Pharma meds at full price.

You are "free" to be poor, sick, and miserable!

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

Kris Kristoferson for Janis Joplin