We do need government to prevent or at least punish corruption and fraud and unsafe products and services. Buyer Beware does not work when businesses can freely make fraudulent claims. I don't know how a toaster works or how an airplane works. I rely on government regulations to make sure neither my toaster nor the airplane I travel on has a more than negligible chance of exploding.
Indeed. And these arguments I made should not be construed as arguments against any government in all cases. I would argue that you rely at least equally on market competition (and legal liability *enforced* by government) to make sure your toaster and airplane perform properly. The free market can and does punish fraud--a good argument *can* be made that it alone won't do so efficiently.
We do need government to prevent or at least punish corruption and fraud and unsafe products and services. Buyer Beware does not work when businesses can freely make fraudulent claims. I don't know how a toaster works or how an airplane works. I rely on government regulations to make sure neither my toaster nor the airplane I travel on has a more than negligible chance of exploding.
Indeed. And these arguments I made should not be construed as arguments against any government in all cases. I would argue that you rely at least equally on market competition (and legal liability *enforced* by government) to make sure your toaster and airplane perform properly. The free market can and does punish fraud--a good argument *can* be made that it alone won't do so efficiently.