[Plum]

How do they relate? What's the relationship between them?

[kingstu]

Originally Posted by Plum

How do they relate? What's the relationship between them?

I tend to agree with Milton Friedman.

Historical evidence speaks with a single voice on the relation between political freedom and a free market. I know of no example in time or place of a society that has been marked by a large measure of political freedom, and that has not also used something comparable to a free market to organize the bulk of economic activity.

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/ipe/friedman.htm

You may be able to have economic freedom without political freedom (currently in China) but this situation will not last long. Once you get a taste of spending your hard earned money how you see fit...you want more control over all areas of your life.

[RukshawM4st3r]

Originally Posted by Plum

How do they relate? What's the relationship between them?

Free markets can't exist without democracy really. A TRUE free market. You can have capitalist countries like China where the government has the ability to buy oil companies but thats not really a "free" market now is it.

[DrSatanDracula]

There is no correlation.

A tyranny and despotism can have a free market.

A democracy can be a welfare state.

[GermanBJJ]

The reality of modern human existance is that the majority of our adulthood will be spent toiling in pursuit of economic benefit (i.e., working a job for the man.) If humans aren't basically free to work for the economic benefit that they choose, then they aren't really free.

[Zankou]

Originally Posted by DrSatanDracula

There is no correlation.

A tyranny and despotism can have a free market.

A democracy can be a welfare state.

You mean there is no *necessary* correlation. Which is true.

But the real question is whether there is an *empirical* correlation.

[Mithra]

Originally Posted by GermanBJJ

The reality of modern human existance is that the majority of our adulthood will be spent toiling in pursuit of economic benefit (i.e., working a job for the man.) If humans aren't basically free to work for the economic benefit that they choose, then they aren't really free.

You could extend this argument that until humans are free of need for food or medicine...they are not truly free

[KidBaize]

If one defines a free market as one in which prices are set purely by "the market" then currently there are no free markets anywhere in the world. Every country uses govt incentives and deterrents to steer their economy where it's seen as appropriate.

We're really talking about different degrees of managed economies.

Theoretically, I can't see any system other than a democracy working with a truly free economy.

[kingstu]

Originally Posted by Mithra

You could extend this argument that until humans are free of need for food or medicine...they are not truly free

You are incorrect sir. You cannot be free of your biological needs but you can be free in how you choose to pursue those needs.

[GermanBJJ]

Originally Posted by Mithra

You could extend this argument that until humans are free of need for food or medicine...they are not truly free

Perhaps but we're discussing political freedom.