The instances where it's been profitable to maintain a standing army are quite few and far between - and allowing the market to control fire extinguishing has l

The instances where it's been profitable to maintain a standing army are quite few and far between - and allowing the market to control fire extinguishing has led to some really perverse incentives. There are things that we benefit from as a society that aren't realistic to accurately price for ethical reasons so I think this is quite too simplistic a statement.