The free market is moral because it allows for the free exchange of goods and/or services from one free individual to another without force or coercion.
Take for example the cigar I happen to be puffing on while I write this wonderful article this beautiful evening. I freely exchanged a certain number of dollars, which I earned by the sweat of my brow, for this wonderfully made cigar. The manufacturer of the cigar, and the store in which I purchased it from, gladly exchanged their fine product for the certain number of dollars that I paid for it.
What a country! God Bless America!
Were the cigar company or the store I purchased it from greedy? It's extremely popular, especially with the current president, to knock greed, but it is greed that gets some of the most wondrous things done. By greed, I don't mean dishonesty, cheating, stealing, fraud, misrepresentation, deception, or any other forms of chicanery or law breaking. I mean people trying to do the best they can for themselves and for their families.
Some people pretend that they're not motivated by such "evil" motives and profit or "greed," however, some of our greatest dissatisfactions in life are in the areas of government and politics where supposedly there is no profit motive. Take the customer service at the local DMV or post office. Or take the quality of our non-profit public school system.
Compare those fine institutions with the products and services found at Apple Computer, or Starbucks, or your local supermarket. Fairly happy with those for the most part, no doubt? There is a reason, and it's the morality of the free market (to the degree that it's still free) and competition that drives those companies to keep their customers happy and returning for more. If they don't, they're out of business.
The government doesn't like competition in the businesses they're in. In fact, they never have to worry about going out of business. They'll bail themselves out like they continually do on an ongoing basis, with our money. Think about that the next time you're waiting in a long line at the post office. Then go into your local UPS store and see if you can't tell the difference.
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Just to add to your thoughts. Capitalism is freedom because it allows people to keep and control all the fruits of their labor. It's not fair, but fairness is everyone losing their ability to walk because one person is born lame.
Also, there is a concept that for someone to make money, someone else needs to lose money. What they miss is that through capitalism and entrepreneurial enterprise we create new pools of wealth all of the time.
Great points capitalist and Cgen, nice to see you here!
Cgen, I like your perspective of fairness. All kinds of evil have been committed in the name of "fairness" and "equality" throughout the years.
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Thank you for your comments. I appreciate your input!