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It depends upon how you define regulations. The free market is capable of regulating itself as long as there are societal rules against stealing and fraud, rule
by ancap 9y ago
It depends upon how you define regulations. The free market is capable of regulating itself as long as there are societal rules against stealing and fraud, rules to enforce contracts, etc.
- danharaj 9y agoIs a societal rule against, say, polluting waterways also not a regulation? How exactly do you draw this line and why is that line more natural than others? Is the idea of a division between "societal rule that isn't a regulation" and "societal rule that is a regulation" even coherent?
- ancap 9y ago> Is a societal rule against, say, polluting waterways also not a regulation? Absolutely. Societal rules recognizing the rights of property owners would deem pollution as a trespass and violation of property rights. Unfortunately 19th century courts gave in to the wealthy businesses and essentially voided that societal rule in favor of a kind of Coasian analysis of pollution. > How exactly do you draw this line and why is that line more natural than others? Societal rules when you break them down are obvious to people and reflect how most people live their day to day life. It is typically when the basic societal rules are first voided in favor of something else, that government regulation is considered. In such cases it makes more sense to just restore the base societal rule. > Is the idea of a division between "societal rule that isn't a regulation" and "societal rule that is a regulation" even coherent? Sure. As I replied to someone else, this is a fallacy in equating government regulation with the will of society. They are not always equivalent.
- danharaj 9y ago> Sure. As I replied to someone else, this is a fallacy in equating government regulation with the will of society. They are not always equivalent. Of course they're not equivalent; the will of society is itself full of self-contradictions and instabilities. No specific social process is the same as "the will of society". Are you saying government regulation isn't part of the will of society, though? The government is certainly significant part of society. What makes its processes different from others? > Societal rules when you break them down are obvious to people and reflect how most people live their day to day life. It is typically when the basic societal rules are first voided in favor of something else, that government regulation is considered. In such cases it makes more sense to just restore the base societal rule. I agree. Lets repeal the Inclosure Acts.
- rbanffy 9y ago> societal rules against stealing and fraud That's what we call regulation.
- ancap 9y agoYour fallacy is in equating government regulation with the will of society. In most cases regulation is a result of powerful lobbying (which is not to say that society does not demand some of the regulations codified by government).
- Turing_Machine 9y agoLaws against stealing and fraud are not the same as regulations that only allow one or two politically-favored entities to lay cable.
- krapp 9y ago>The free market is capable of regulating itself as long as there are societal rules against stealing and fraud, rules to enforce contracts, etc. In a true free market, the market would decide that as well.