Common Sense Too: Free Market; An Introduction by V.R. DiPiero

Human motivation has always been a simple thing to figure out. Preservation of self, family, and community. The “self” part is what generally leads to choices which violate other individuals. Since the advent of mercantilism individuals have gained opportunity to establish themselves in trading goods at a market to acquire the resources they need rather than depending on an authority figure to provide them. Individual profit became a way for any individual to enjoy the lifestyle of a king. In fact, this concept of individuals profiting on trade made the movement of Liberty and Justice for all a possibility. Prior to Mercantilism, in general, history has the common individual human at best being children to be protected and guided by the divinely appointed Liege Lord and, at worst, chattel for the Liege Lord to do with as they pleased.

Every few generations since Mercantilism took root there has been a cultural shift towards increased freedoms for individuals and fewer means to control them through Authority. The last true revolution took place in the 1980's in Poland as the Polish took their land back from communist authority and demanded capitalism. Constitutional Rule, in capitalist cultures, had become the standard since another well known revolution which took place in the late 1770's. Yet, each improvement for individual freedom has proved to increase the propensity for individuals to acquire more wealth than they need through any means available. Clearly this is unethical, but who really cares about ethics when there is profit to be made? We all should. Government has always been comprised of the wealthy and influential. Inheritance was a standard for maintaining the occupancy of a position of authority. It still is in large part, but now they allow some plebes in with limited access to make it legitimate for all the free individuals. Self preservation becomes Laws and Regulations which leads to excessive wealth accumulation for a minority. When the market is regulated the plebes are safe from being defrauded. Fraud still happens, but at least we know who the bad guy is. Or do we? "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” ~ Aesop

Let's start small and just consider individuals and what is best for them as a standard. Yard sales are a fantastic example of a free market. You have products which you no longer value highly, or simply do not need. By displaying them in your yard you attract potential buyers. A price is agreed upon and the exchange happens. Doesn't get any more simple. We do not need Authority poking their nose into it and taking their percentage of the trade. So, why do we allow them to do it in every other aspect of our lives?

If a community is organized in a way to make all needs readily available this will drastically limit the percentage of individuals who choose criminal acts as a means to acquire their necessities. The best way to motivate providers of needs is through capital gain. Providers fill needs for capital gain, consumer receives needs for reasonable exchange, both are happy at the end of the day. Believe it or not, charity can work in the same way. Individuals are more willing to volunteer for something they believe in, trust, or feel they fulfill a purpose in.

Food and water are always at the top of any economic structure in an organized community. We now have the technology to grow almost every food source almost anywhere in the world. Local infrastructure in most modern communities does not allow for agriculture let alone diverse enough agriculture for the community to subsist on. This is thanks to a highly regulated market. Communities are forced to buy food and water from regulated companies and government organizations rather than providing those resources for themselves. This was done over generations and has been the self preservation motivation of major industries. Community gardens and Polyculture must be a cultural part of our communities or we will never enjoy a truly free market, or any true freedom for the individual. If communities have reliable and sustainable methods for providing food and water for the population this will lead back to a local economy in which the necessities are affordable at what we would currently consider charitable levels, therefore causing much less desire for thievery. (Communists can now argue over the disparaging ethics of private property. I'll wait... Grow up, humans want to have ownership of things, it is an animal instinct and a fine motivation for acquiring ownership ethically. Individual rights mean nothing without it.)

Shelter has been the one necessity most difficult to provide for people. When an individual is given a thing the thing loses its value if the individual no longer has to work for the thing. This is expressed when a community shelter program is left in disarray. Graffiti, detritus, and a general pallor make the community a lackluster place to raise children. Strictly charitable sources of food, water, and shelter is not the answer. This is why every communist organized community eventually fails. The first generation loves it, the second and third generation take it for granted, and the fourth and fifth generation disrespect it. All the while a minority of families has acquired the sources for production on luxuries limiting access to everyone else. Whereas, homesteading has always been an incredibly effective method for depopulating overburdened cities and spreading cultural influence to new regions.

Given the motivation to make something for themselves, an individual feels they have ownership of their life. When an individual is made to pay for access to necessities they no longer own their life. Individuals, to be truly free of authority, must exist in a free market. So long as an individual does not defraud they should have the freedom to use their resources and means of production to their best ability to acquire all the needs and luxuries they can afford. While an individual has choice to give business, or not, to a company that individual owns themselves. When regulations and subsidization run amok in the privileged minority monopolies are established. In a capitalist culture this is apparent by the hundreds of product options, with very few producers. Individuals have no control over what ethics they can demand from providers. Unless they can afford to buy the increasing cost of the alternative sources.

If a free capitalist market, individuals will gladly pay for an organization to enforce ethics. Enforcement of ethical and moral disputes is currently monopolized by Authority. A free market solution would have competing advocacy firms, competing moderation firms, and competing security forces. None would want conflict to last as conflict is not cost effective and would end in the loss of clients. Conflict stops being profitable when Authority stops legislating it to be so.

Infractions of the three common laws are much easier to spot in a free market. Base motivation becomes apparent and difficult to conceal when you have competing firms investigating and calculating ethics for consumer transparency. The pharmaceutical company has to be honest about their testing results when the Authority is not shielding them with Proprietary Regulations. The Petroleum industry cannot run roughshod over an economy with affordable alternatives available. Police cannot harass and murder with impunity when a competing firm of police stands ready to defend individuals for the sole motivation of public approval to gain more clients. (More on this in a forthcoming pamphlet titled, Common Sense Too; Justice For All: An Introduction)

Companies cannot infringe upon the rights of individuals in a free market. Authority cannot legislate individuals out of a free market. Free market capitalism is the only economic system which is capable of allowing individual freedom and liberty to exist and flourish. If individuals and their rights mean anything in a world gone insane this truth will become a cultural revolution in the days to come. Liberty and freedom for individuals, corporations and authority driven corporate exploitation need not apply. This is where the communists can have reign.

Global market, is not an individual nor is it made for individuals' needs. Corporate Law should consist of thoughtful and ethical Articles of Association to promote Socialistic minded cultures in the communities they operate in. With individuals living in a free economy they have the authority to demand cultural benefits from their employers. This does not need to be regulated by those economic minorities who hunger for more than they need. It need only be regulated by the community being operated in and, the ethically thoughtful, organized corporation. This is already being done by corporations who build housing and provide services on site for their employees, as they also provide improved infrastructure for the community. It is providing them better production, and more capital gain.

Free Market for the individual promotes self ownership and will promote social responsibility when given ethical boundaries. Communities of individuals who own themselves own their communities, and love their neighbors. (Please copy and distribute this pamphlet unedited and in full. )