It’s easier to identify corruption in our economy by uncoupling the term “free market” from “capitalism”, and defining each separately.
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The free market is profiting from voluntary exchange.
Capitalism is profiting from manipulation.
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For example... /1
Conceding that every govt needs to collect revenue in order to perform its legitimate functions, and without getting into a debate about what those functions are, let’s examine the nature of the tax compliance industry. /2
If the tax codes were simple, the market for professionals to help people comply with the complicated regs would be smaller. By manipulating the tax codes, the industry increases the demand for its services. /3
Accounting services, legal experts, software companies, book publishers, and tax payer advocates, are not hired “voluntarily”, the need to hire them is compelled thru manipulation of the tax codes. /4
Although we label them as free market enterprises that are competing for our business, the market in which they compete wouldn’t exist without manipulation, hence they’re actually capitalistic. /5