I challenge you to paint a large world-ranked economy that functioned on true free-market practice and had a functional democratic state.

Ever.

In history.

Even once.

No Ayn Rand (or Heinlein) does not count.

For that matter I challenge you to name the biggest economy ever that fit those criteria.

I don’t say this just to be rhetorical.

If you can find one I am willing to listen.

Last I checked though, it is not a coincidence that liberal democracy (as in classical not contemporary liberalism) sprung up around the same time as industry. Democracy exists as a political check on capitalism. The free market is the opposite of democracy because it involves unequal voting. Two people’s “wealth votes” are by definition not equal.

Please refrain from using “sheeple”, “our country was founded on…”, “you liberals…”, or anything about Ron Paul.