The hardest thing to imagine is a world in which people are willing to take their own risks.

Look at the myriad of companies who release a product that hurts someone. HUGE backlash, but because the government backs them with bailout or federal corporate insurance, it's no big deal. lookin' at you Samsung

Then look at the number of companies who have poor business practices, and people abandon them. They go out of business. Small, micro examples of the free market at work.

A company simply isn't going to create a product that will hurt people. It might have side effects, but I'm not talking about ZERO government here. I'm talking about people taking responsibility for their own local market.

Walmart wouldn't be as huge as it is, if smaller companies were allowed to compete.

(your second point) Well, that's a double edged sword. Same as gun control. You present a situation where SOME form of regulation could have stopped it. So you enact it. Then something else happens, and you make that regulation more strict. Then, you hear backlash from the rest of the population that's it's too hard to function NORMALLY, because purchasing a gun has now become so expensive, that those who would do it legally and morally no longer can do so.

Ideally, sure. I would LOVE a situation in which there was ZERO regulations on business. Would we have pollution? Sure, more than we do now? Maybe. But then again, the rest of the commissioning bodies would still exist. They would see that a company is dumping a lake, and people would stop supporting that business until they stopped.

In a COMPLETELY free market, the community would have actual power over companies. Yelp reviews would actually mean something, because there would be more businesses to choose from.

However, much like how I wish we didn't NEED a police force, we sadly, do. It would be a great world where 100% laissez faire capitalism existed, but until we get to the point of where people are terrified of something they can't pronounce, it will never be.

I can speak first hand from watching company after company fall apart, because of local, city, and state regulations constantly changing and making the business soak up costs. Watching my friends' businesses shrivel up, because new taxes, new restrictions on product testings, etc, etc.... my own mother had to stop making dresses for little girls (she sews), because of the testing regulations put on hand manufactured items. Would have cost her over $2k each BATCH of hand made dresses she made. Even if they were cut from the same yard of cloth.

Just to keep kids safe from lead.

Oh, China's reaction? Switching to cadmium.

BTW, VERY much so enjoying our discussion. Rare to find a civil conversation partner.