>> I think the market is fairly efficient, but it has it's downsides (e.g., the great patent wars - I'd hardly call that market efficiency). I agree, but since

>> I think the market is fairly efficient, but it has it's downsides (e.g., the great patent wars - I'd hardly call that market efficiency). I agree, but since patents are government-granted monopolies, that's really an example of government intervention rather than market freedom >> I don't think the government has all the answers - but I don't think the market does either. Agreed. By itself, the market can be ruthless. One proper role of government, in my view, is to ensure fair play. Another is to provide incentives, when necessary, for research and infrastructure needed by society at large. ARPANET is a good example: a government initiative carried out by private contractors which never would have been undertaken by entrepeneurs.