Freedom

As many of you know, one of my key goals in blogging is to alert the public to the necessity of capitalism and economic freedom. Therefore, I have decided to take this opportunity to present to you a brief essay on why the free markets and liberty go hand in hand.

I feel strongly that the free market is one of the key pillars of freedom in this country and around the world. The free market exists when individuals and businesses have reasonably unrestricted trade between other individuals and businesses. When individuals are allowed to participate in this social cooperation, they are able to better themselves in a way no other institution of economic trade has ever allowed in history. People instinctively know best how to improve their own situations. Therefore, to help people rise above their current social and economic state to a better one, it is logical to allow individuals to pursue their own methods inside the guidelines of a civilized society. In other words, it is logical to allow free people to use their freedom to make their own economic choices.

Perhaps the greatest enemy of the free market is government interference. Though often well intentioned, government tends to interfere in the free market. When this interference occurs, people and businesses are no longer able to cooperate as effectively with each other. This is a severe disruption in social cooperation that the government, try as it might, cannot overcome. History is replete with examples of government interference in the free market. The results are always less than desirable; sometimes they are simply intolerable. The economic theory of communism is such an example. The goal of communism was to create a social and economic utopia where all people were equal in wealth, status, and power. The key to this utopia was that no one would be allowed to own industry or the means to create wealth. It was believed that if government could collect all the wealth, it could easily be distributed to all the people in equal amounts. With all industries being owned and operated by the government, all people would be on the same level of equality with no advantages over others. Though well intentioned, history has shown us that such ideals are no only flawed, but ultimately harmful and disastrous for the public at large. The classless utopia was never achieved. The government eventually becoming the ruling class, causing the regular citizens of the communist nation to become slaves to the state.

When the most prominent of the communist states, the Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics, eventually collapsed, the free market was embraced by the people of the new nations that emerged from the ashes of the U.S.S.R. These countries are now full of promise with the free market and the social cooperation that is now taking root in them. With time and more exposure to the free market, these countries will no doubt become economically powerful neighbors in Europe and the world.

It is for this reason that I deeply believe the free market is the key to freedom – the free market allows individuals to have control over their own destinies. When people are responsible for themselves, they tend to produce the best results possible for their outcomes. History has shown us what can become of a nation if the free market and the social cooperation it entails is removed. Let us therefore strive to maintain the freedom in our country and world that the free markets promise.