This is the same as taking issue with the statement "one mustn't steal" because there are mechanisms for dealing with theft. Man, the straw man fallacy on HN i

This is the same as taking issue with the statement "one mustn't steal" because there are mechanisms for dealing with theft. Man, the straw man fallacy on HN is like the proverbial hammer... You are talking about externalities of private contracts. Thing is, this also is subject to specific legal regulations in most Western countries. It is not subject to whichever moral judgement you are trying to fit in here. Construction, industrial emissions, things like that are when the state can limit the civil rights of contract parties. Buying and selling bonds is generally considered not to have externalities that endanger the common good.