Free Markets (13) - Zero Sum

Option 3 and option 4 om my previous post are compulsory zero sum options. They both make John worse off against his will. He suffers with no choice. Theft and force are not good methods for transferring goods from one person to another.

Love and compassion are noble, but they do not extend very far. They cannot facilitate all the transfers of goods or services that are necessary for a well functioning society. Theft and force make some people worse off, so they are not a solution. Buying and selling in a free market is better. Trade is not as noble as love and compassion. Buying and selling in a free market are more noble than stealing or using force to get what you want.

I do not mind people criticising free markets, if they advocate love and compassion, especially if they choose to demonstrate love and sharing themselves. What I find is that most people criticising free markets claim to be acting out of love and compassion, but are actually advocates of force. This is quite deceptive. Critiquing markets because they do not meet the standards of love and compassion, but then proposing the use of force to remedy the situation is twisted logic.

Buying and selling in a free market are not as noble as love and compassion, but they are morally superior to theft and force. Those who want to regulate a market are advocates of force. The Bible teaches that force is justified to remedy theft, but it does not advocate forced compassion or love.

This full series is at Markets and Morality.