Market

There is one additional idea in John Lanchester’s book that catches my attention:

Democracy and free market are two different concepts but frequently put forward as bundle selling. From what we see in the past three or four years, one may have to consider a society with democracy but not an entirely free market.

How about vice versa – free market without democracy, as proposed by some strong nation?

By the way, as suggested (and quite a water-tight proof in my opinion) by FA Hayek in The Road to Serfdom, planned economy would always lead to dictatorship. There is also good evidence (partly provided again by Hayek) that a tyrannical political system is incompatible with a truly free market.

What we don’t know is whether a free market would always lead to democracy, or, turning the coin around, a democratic system would always result in a free market.

Or, I should say, which side kicks off first.