The economy needs to have good sold at a profit. It seems to be the best way to ensure that people, as a group, make and sell the things that need to be made

The economy needs to have good sold at a profit. It seems to be the best way to ensure that people, as a group, make and sell the things that need to be made and sold, and in appropriate quantities. It's not perfect, as there are plenty of inefficiencies, but it's a very good model. There are a number of problems with price gouging. First, it isn't helpful, everyone already knows there's a shortage of critical supplies, and increasing the price by several multiples isn't going to help make more products faster. Second, it encourages bubbles. People will begin to purchase items that are in short supply specifically to resell them later at a higher price. This actively prevents critical supplies from reaching people in a timely fashion, which can and does result in preventable deaths. Third, it threatens social stability in stressful times. The people hording supplies are at risk of causing violent encounters with those who need them. And a shootout or riot is the last thing we need right now. Overall, I think it's pretty easy to see why people oppose price gouging. I'm honestly surprised anyone would defend such actions.