What Exactly is a Free Market?
What do we mean by “free markets” or even “capitalism” for that matter? It’s probably not what you think. For many people, these terms conjure images of Wall Street bankers and multinational corporations. Perhaps they also bring to mind small businesses and scrappy startups. All of those are part of free market capitalism, but they’re only one piece of the puzzle.
To understand the whole picture, you need to start with a single individual.
Start with yourself. You have hopes and dreams, talents and passions. You want to build a life that brings you and the ones you love happiness and excitement even as you achieve independence and stability. Ultimately, you want to build a life with meaning, filled with purpose. Everyone of us wants that for ourselves. And for each one of us, that life looks as unique and diverse as we all are. For all the things we share as a community and a society, there is no getting around the fact that each of us values different things at different times in different ways. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. No one can know you as well as you know yourself. The same is true for every one of us.
So here you are, a unique individual, out in the world trying to figure out life. Doing it the “free market” way means following three pretty simple rules.
Those are the rules of the free market: so long as you don’t hurt other people or steal their stuff, and so long as you keep your word, you’re free to do whatever you want. You’re free to work for whoever you want. You’re free to love and marry whoever you want. You’re free to worship whoever or whatever you want. You’re free to trade with whoever you want.
And with this freedom, you’re empowered to take on any problem you want to. Free markets destroy the problems in our society because they empower free people to destroy those problems and offer new solutions. Free markets empower everyone, but especially underdogs, upstarts and immigrants to take on the status quo precisely because they don’t need to seek permission first. Free markets don’t respect traditions unless those traditions are maintained peacefully. Free markets are the most radical, revolutionary force for change humanity has ever discovered. And the reason is simple. Free markets are nothing more and nothing less than each of us and all of us having the right to try our best at improving everything for each other.
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Free Markets Destroy celebrates the power of free markets to tackle humanity's most daunting challenges. The world isn't perfect, but it's getting better every day thanks to entrepreneurs who work tirelessly to deliver life-changing innovations. Be a part of the solution by harnessing the power of markets to improve everything.
Washington Policy Center is one of the nation’s leading state-based, free-market public policy research organizations. Based in Seattle with offices located throughout Washington state, Washington Policy Center is non-partisan and non-profit, and publishes studies, sponsors events and educates citizens on the vital public policy issues. Ideas supported by sound research and promoted through publications, events and the media, over time, create an environment in which policymakers and citizens make sound public policy decisions. Washington Policy Center focuses on eight key research areas: Agriculture, Education, Environment, Government Reform, Health Care, Small Business, Transportation and Worker Rights. In addition, WPC’s Young Professionals program focuses on educating, engaging and empowering the next generation of free-market leaders in Washington state.
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs is a free market think tank working to promote the flourishing of the people of Oklahoma by advancing principles and policies that support free enterprise, limited government, individual initiative, and personal responsibility.
The Rio Grande Foundation is New Mexico's free market think tank and public policy research institute, working to increase liberty and prosperity for all of New Mexico by informing citizens of the importance of individual freedom, limited government, and economic opportunity.
The Puerto Rico Institute for Economic Liberty is a non-partisan, non-profit organization founded in 2019, which was born out of a genuine desire to find a new way for residents of Puerto Rico to move forward. This new path must be focused on equal opportunities, where effort and merit are rewarded, and all people are empowered to accomplish their goals and achieve the kind of lives they value.
Emergent Order is a creative studio that transforms big ideas into breakthrough opportunities. We leverage media trends, technology, and close collaboration with our partners to create memorable stories on any platform. We don’t work on retainer. We don’t have a B team. And we don’t offer templated, off-the-shelf “solutions” for marketing or media. To solve our partners’ problems we design and produce custom strategies and compelling stories.
Gladeye is a digital innovations agency in Auckland, New Zealand and New York.
Pablo Espinosa is a Mexican illustrator living and working in Tokyo, Japan.
