Yes it is, there’s always been taxes. Free market typically refers to regulations, free commerce (means ability to buy and sell), etc. that doesn’t mean no taxes, particularly tariffs.
The US federal government was initially only able to make revenue from tariffs. Basically you control the borders, but inside the borders there are no control (ie free market). Once you deal between nations, you cannot have a perfectly free market, else your enemies will eat you. Which imo is what happened the last 50 years.
A tariff is a regulation. Tariffs are the interstate commercial equivalent of Pigovian taxes. When the government puts its thumb on the scale of what should or shouldn't be sold with an extra cost attached, that is not a free market.
Obviously it's less free with tariffs than it would be without, but given the goals of the bill some level of interference is unavoidable. The question is whether to meet those goals with top-down central planning, or by tweaking the incentives and letting the market handle the details on its own. The latter is much more in keeping with free market principles than the former.
Could a market be free without tariffs? Does free not imply competitive?
US policy can't force South Korea or Taiwan to have a free market. No matter what we do, any domestic company has to be able to compete with Samsung and TSC. Because of that, there is no purely "free" global market.
Either you change the rules at the border (tariffs), you match your competitors' strategy (subsidize), or you lose.
No, lettergram is misusing the term 'free market'. Free marketeers don't just want less government enterprise, they also want lower tariffs and light regulation.
lettergram|3 years ago
The US federal government was initially only able to make revenue from tariffs. Basically you control the borders, but inside the borders there are no control (ie free market). Once you deal between nations, you cannot have a perfectly free market, else your enemies will eat you. Which imo is what happened the last 50 years.
Dracophoenix|3 years ago
unknown|3 years ago
[deleted]
Ajedi32|3 years ago
thomastjeffery|3 years ago
US policy can't force South Korea or Taiwan to have a free market. No matter what we do, any domestic company has to be able to compete with Samsung and TSC. Because of that, there is no purely "free" global market.
Either you change the rules at the border (tariffs), you match your competitors' strategy (subsidize), or you lose.
chalst|3 years ago
wbsss4412|3 years ago
It’s more of a political slogan than an actual policy.
LMYahooTFY|3 years ago