4 ms·

Depends on your definition of a free market. It is free in the sense there is no government (or other entity) controlling it.

• woah 12y ago
  Say what? The black market is completely defined and dominated by the heaviest form of government control, literally men with guns kicking down your door.
  • irishcoffee 12y ago
    free mar·ket noun an economic system in which prices are determined by unrestricted competition between privately owned businesses. By that definition, the black market is a free market. You could argue about the word 'unrestricted' but I doubt you'd change my mind.
    • mattstreet 12y ago
      The competition is limited to entities willing to break the law and deal with other people doing the same.
      • irishcoffee 12y ago
        That doesn't really say anything at all. The bakery competition is limited to people who want to run a bakery. The beer store market is limited to people who want to run beer stores. Breaking the law obviously isn't an issue for people in drug industry.
  • mfisher87 12y ago
    What you're describing is the point in time when an entity exits the free market. How does the government control the market aside from whack-a-moleing individual entities? How does whack-a-mole have a controlling effect on entities who haven't been whacked yet?