Politicians and governments today generally rule from a government-knows-best model. They believe they can calibrate, modulate, and manage an entire economy from a comfy government desk.

From the price of eggs at your local grocery store to exactly how much the cashier gets paid, they want a finger in every pie. They raise a red pen against the private sector, convinced that with enough rules, regulations, and tax dollars, they can engineer a perfect society.

Quite frankly, we find it exhausting – and destructive too.

If the people are lucky, and after the micromanagers have made a big enough mess of things, a rare leader may come to power who believes in allowing the natural and self-correcting forces of the free market to order society. They cut the sprawling state down to size. They don’t pretend to know what’s best for you.

Instead, they step back, outline the government’s boundaries in chalk, and let the private sector do its thing. They trust that everyday people, guided by self-interest and the ever-changing signals of supply and demand, are way better at running the world than any politician. Continue reading →