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I don't think anyone defines a "free market" as meaning that there is no penalty for getting money by immoral means (e.g. stealing your neighbour's wallet). Pol

by hugh 18y ago

I don't think anyone defines a "free market" as meaning that there is no penalty for getting money by immoral means (e.g. stealing your neighbour's wallet). Polluting a river should, of course, also be penalized and/or priced appropriately.

netcan 18y ago
You don't need to define free market as that. You just need not to define free market as not that. Penalties can either be legislated (eg fines) or consumer generated (eg Nike). But internal morality is not part of how the market works. Sure you can have Google not being evil. But if you have a sound an economic opportunity presented by creating (fro example) waste. It will be taken up by someone. Without legislation forbidding it, you can bet that there would be a business in taking garbage from London & dumping it at sea.