Are there any truly free markets? Win 50 SP.
Introduction
In line with my previous posts regarding increasing engagement I thought it would be fun to have a little competition based around a discussion topic.
Recently I've been pondering the question of free markets. So I thought we could base the discussion around this idea:
Does a truly free market exist anywhere in the world?
I will reward my favourite comment a 50 Steem Power reward.
Here are my thoughts:
My Thoughts on Free Markets
I believe there are two main issues in the way of free markets:
Firstly no matter where you are in the world and whatever kind of business you are in, there will be various regulations that you will have to deal with.
These regulations are imposed on anyone doing any kind of business by either the local or national government (often both).
These include procedural regulations (eg. information that must be filed, licenses that must be obtained etc.) as well as direct financial rules and burdens (e.g. taxation).
These are the most obvious issues but there is a second type of problem that relates to this in a more indirect manner.
The Second issue is that of existing companies having access and influence over the very politicians who create these rules and regulations.
They are therefore able to skew markets in such a way as to make it harder for competitors to succeed, making it easier for them to maintain their existing positions.
Further they can also get away with behaviour that an individual or small business would not be able to do.
Just take the recent examples of big banks refusing to pay taxes and being able to negotiate with the taxman - try doing that yourself (you will probably end up in jail).
This ultimately leads me to the following paradoxical and somewhat controversial conclusion:
It is my belief that the only truly free markets are basically black markets.
These are the only situations where people are free from government interference/regulation and the ability of vested interests (e.g. existing companies) to exert their influence.
Anyway - I wanted to keep this short so that people actually read it, so now it is over to you:
What do you think? Are there any truly free markets? Is it possible for them to exist?
Should they exist or are rules and regulations an absolute necessity?
Have your say in the comments.
I will award my favourite comment 50 SP after payout.
Thank you for reading
All uncredited images are taken from my personal Thinkstock Photography account. More information can be provided on request.
Hey, @thecryptofiend,
Here's a fascinating article I just read that (in a backhanded way) reveals why free markets are so hard to find...
My Childhood as a Renegade Entrepreneur
Thank you:)
Whenever and wherever two people engage in an uncoerced exchange, you have a free market in action. It may be a barter, it may involve payment. If it is a private transaction between two people without outside interference, that is a free market.
I would love to find just about anyplace where that could still occur these days "in the real world." It actually does at random times and places, but I long for the ideal of the "agora," nothing more than a place where people can freely bring their wares to sell, and any and everyone can bring their needs and wants and money to buy without some gang of thugs (read "city" or "state") forcing issues and collecting blood money.
I have heard of but not yet been to the Rainbow Gatherings that happen from time to time in various forests. Those may be very close to free market environments. I'm sure there are better sources of information than Wikipedia... Along similar lines is the annual Jackalope Festival in Arizona, as best as I recall primarily driven by Alma Sommer. I haven't yet been to that either.
As an agorist, I'm personally working on growing a free market enterprise, and I hope to write more about it from time to time here on Steemit.
There are beginning to be free market "virtual places" on the internet, facilitated by the use of blockchains and cryptocurrencies. "Places" like OpenBazzaar that enable peer to peer transactions. I've dabbled there, without much success thus far, but to be honest I haven't as yet made a "full court press" to try and pull in sales in that realm.
It's not yet clear to me whether or not Steemit can be or become a free market. I've had a hard time eliciting any information about "policies" or objections in that regard. I have seen a few people attempting to promote their wares here, and I may even attempt to do the same at some point.
Thanks for a great article and such an engaging question! ;)
😄😇😄
Thank you so much for an awesome answer! I will need to find out about Rainbow Gatherings - thanks for the links!
@thecryptofiend not here for the rewards just a fan
but they say that black markets don't deliver the best products nor services either and prone to damage and no insurance coverage. Would rather not deal with the black market though you are right - it has found its way to beat the system.
Yes that is true - if you are operating outside the law you can't complain to anyone if the quality is inadequate!
@thecryptofiend so I'd rather work with legal services and products.
Am staying away from black markets - very very risky
One of the freer markets that I've seen was an elementary school lunchroom. Seeing students trade various pieces of their brought-from-home lunches was always interesting. The street value of certain items (hot cheetos for example) amazed me.
Lol I love Cheetos too! Yes I think these kind of mini-markets are a fascinating thing to study. Thank you for commenting!
Quite so. You could see the adept business minds even in the first graders... once the market was saturated in one product, they'd move on to the next big thing.
Very cool!
I'll add an additional. .05 WANGCHANGE on top.
Be sure to leave your bts account in your creative comment as well. This is the text version of the video above. Watch the video for more details... because it pays to interact.
Thank you:)
I don't think black markets are free markets. Sure, they are not regulated. But the fact that they are underground means the state effects them, disrupting them when it can, and thus driving up prices.
Sadly we live in an unfree world.
Good point. I think that they are the closest thing though.
Correct. Remember the movie “The Third Man” (1949)
I actually voted this up yesterday. So I had to unvote and revote. Honestly I was curious as to whether there would be a difference, seeing as I am currently attached to htooms. There was a difference, thirteen cents actually, lol!
@son-of-satire's tribute was accurate and awesome. EDIT: So sorry about the rest of what I wrote here, alcohol and keyboards and me, not such a good thing.
You have been visited by droomits
This is by far as random a comment can get... lol
LOL. If you check out my page you'll understand the last part of it. The first part, I was seriously just thinking about editing. People can be very sensitive about that. I've been called He several times, didn't bother me, just corrected them. But...
EDIT: Actually between my post and the one I resteemed, you should probably understand it all.
Lol thanks!
I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a truly free market, but I do believe in order to approach that, everybody needs to be paying their own bills.
For example, let's say a factory pollutes a river in order to manufacture widgets which then get sold at a profit. Is the company paying the cost of cleaning up the pollution? If so, then that cost should get put into the price of the widget. If the company is not paying for the cleanup of the river, then either the people who rely on the river for food or water are "paying" with reduced health and enjoyment of said river, or the government pays the cleanup bill at taxpayer expense. The government might make a regulation that requires company to pay its bill by cleaning up the river it messed up. The regulation might get complicated to cover for all contingencies. Then freedom minded people complain about government overreach, and they have a point.
The best solution is that the company is ethical and pays all its bills because that's the right thing to do. Then you might have something closer to a free market.
Thanks and very good point. There are perhaps hidden costs to certain activities that should be taken into account as you point out.
Not really, the precious metals market is manipulated by the central banks and the London bullion banks. The US stock markets are manipulated by the plunge protection team. Bond markets are manipulated also by central banks creating fiat. Real Estate markets are manipulated as well. Even the auto markets are manipulated. Check this out...
There are literally thousands of these "car parks" rammed full of unsold cars in practically every country on the planet. Just in case you were wondering, these images have not been Photoshopped, they are the real deal!
The car industry would never sell these cars at massive reductions in their prices to get rid of them, no they still want every buck. If they were to price these cars for a couple of thousand they would sell them. However, nobody would then buy any expensive cars and then they would end up being unsold. Its quite a pickle we have gotten ourselves into.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-16/where-worlds-unsold-cars-go-die
So there you have it, even the new car market is manipulated!
The one thing I know for sure is this, "nothing is as it seems."
This will all come crashing down, the only question is when.
And when it crashes, then we will have truly free market based on blockchain :)
Thanks - I think the point is that all markets are manipulated in a variety of ways.
Yep - my response was the 2 minute reply. There is much more detail and most is hidden from the masses. If the population realized what in fact is going on, there would be a revolution overnight.
Yes but I think people will slowly come around.
Agreed, they are waking up. I'm finding most on Steemit are awake and alive. One more reason why this is an awesome community!
Would you consider a gardener leaving his produce by the farm gate and a tin to put money into if you wanted any of his product ,free? . It happens in a freer country.
Good question. I suppose it is freer than many transactions- unless the government steps in and says he can't do it!
All markets have some type of governance. Wither implicit or explicit. Reading "Debt" right now. Even warfare is a market.
Interesting - is "Debt" a book? Do you have a link?
https://www.amazon.com/Debt-Updated-Expanded-First-Years/dp/1612194192
Debt - Updated and Expanded: The First 5,000 Years
by David Graeber
Cool thank you:)