I'm a free-marketeer. I believe in free markets, but... sometimes you have things that look like free markets but aren't because of artificial reasons. I'm not very happy with the current state of what calls itself free market economy in the world because you've got all these grotesque monopolies that are able to gain [sic] the system in a way that's to their advantage by virtue of their power, and that's not a free market. A real free market has some kind of counter-veiling [sic] influence from the government to keep a monopoly in check, but this government... it's not about free marketing principles, it's about greed pure and simple. And this government wants to assure that the other people that they went to college with get just as rich as they do. This country is going to make Mexico look like Sweden inside of ten years in terms of wealth distribution, because there are no countervailing forces. They've eliminated tax basically for the ultra-rich, they've eliminated any control over monopolies, the greedy have free reign [sic] and its just going to be the super rich and the peasants.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Barlow criticizes the current market as dominated by monopolies and government influence, not a true free market.
- In plain terms
- He says the market is rigged by big firms and political favors.
- What can you take from it?
- Support policies that curb monopolies and ensure genuine competition.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What defines a truly free market?
- How can we limit corporate power?
Another view
Complex global supply chains make pure competition hard to achieve.
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