"how can the irrational fear of a free market...supersede the terror caused by governments, which has been empirically demonstrated throughout history, with democide being only the most severe example?"

In all seriousness, I blame government schooling. Simply put, after 14 Thousand Hours(!!) of indoctrination by agents of the state in the necessity and beneficence of the state, how can it be otherwise?

There is no service the state provides that is not provided cheaper, and better, privately. Not roads, not water, not police, nothing. And yet people have a knee-jerk reaction of horror when the idea of doing everything cooperatively, voluntarily, privately, is brought up.

The first and best thing anyone can do for their children is get them out of the government schools.