[RivieraKid]

Markets work quite well but markets without any rules are often not optimal.

1) Percentage of GDP in social expenditures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Social-expenditures-2001-O... . This correlates with inequality.

2) Corporations in countries like France, Germany, Canada etc. have less relative power than in the US.

3) I don't know, I don't live in the US. But zero regulation of these industries is without question not the best amount of regulation.

As for the last sentence – I think it should be illegal to sell food that causes serious problems.

[dmix]

> 2) Corporations in countries like France, Germany, Canada etc. have less relative power than in the US.

I live in Canada. The 4 banks and 2 telecom companies here have total domination of the market and our gov agencies prevent competition openly. Much more than the US.

We've been fortunate that they've been conservative for the last few decades but they are increasingly becoming americanized and our corporatist government wants badly to be like America.

I agree laissez faire markets aren't optimal. But I'm also 100% sure government run markets is significantly worse. I only support the elimination of massive governments in favor or smaller communities with their own economic freedom (social or capitalist) similar to Hong Kong city-states.

ala Startups vs mega-corporations.

[RivieraKid]

What responsibilities shoud different levels (city, territory, country) have, is a complicated question... but I definitely agree that probably every governement is far from being simple and effecient.