[bccdee]

Everyone votes with their purchases, except the people with the most money get the most votes, and if you don't participate in the "elections" you starve? Sounds very democratic.

Regulations typically limit the power of the most powerful in society, whose power in turn restricts the rest of us. Thus, regulation frequently increases the freedom of most citizens.

Consider a business owner who treats his workers poorly. The workers could find new employers, but odds are they'd be treated just as poorly there, because these labour conditions are not atypical. Then a bill is passed which forces employers to improve labour conditions. Less power for elites means workers' freedom from having power exerted upon them increases.