Thanks for the thoughtful response!
I'm not claiming to have workable answers... at best, I can point at some of the things I see as potential pitfalls.
Economic freedom is an interesting idea... I tend to get blocked by exploring "whose" freedom. One person's freedom might be the next person's idea of "repression." Sure, we can say "everyones" but how do we reach consensus on that? Or DO we reach consensus? Again, not saying I have the answer...
I'm not claiming to have workable answers either ;-)
I think the idea would be to not allow repression. But we have to be very careful about our definition of repression, because responding to claims of "repression" is usually how freedom is smothered.
Our concept of freedom has been diluted down to nearly non-functional by what I would consider to be goal seeking logic and philosophy. Usually trotted out to justify buying one person's vote with someone else's money or freedom.
I actually agree with probably all of the problems you see. It's just that, to my way of thinking, their roots go back to things other than economic freedom.
Consensus is difficult. At best, I think we should hope for a sort of oscillating or revolving consensus that steadily tries (and fails) to reach equilibrium -- fails because equilibrium is always moving, especially for a restless, inventive creature like Man, but if we want a stable system, then we have to allow it the freedom of movement to never stop falling back towards equilibrium.
But -- I have concluded that the only way this can occur is if we allow groups that have incompatible demands to peacefully withdraw from interaction with each other. The right to peacefully withdraw is what brings balance to society. If we forbid this, if we lock two groups in a room and only let them out once they reach an agreement, then the team that "wins" is the team that proposes the most extreme demands and is the most militantly resistant to compromise, because by refusing to compromise they can force their opponents to give more ground.
And that's what's behind our politics of extremism today. So what options does that leave us?
Like I said -- not like I have the answers either.....