Business/Responsiblity

I was listening to a debate on the radio today; one guy worked for a non-profit and the other guy worked for an oil company. In regard to a question on pollution, oil exec's position was that it is the responsibility of business to make the money possible, and it is the responsibility of government to set the rules that protect the good of the people. (this is sounding a bit like that debate between Mackey and Friedman a while back).

I would have to say, in a perfect world, that makes sense. Free market theory, however, assumes the existence of a free market. What happens when government bends to the will of business and upsets the balance with tax breaks, subsidies, or straight up corruption? What happens when the government is not interested in the good of the people, but the good of its chosen few?

Well, that does put us in a bit of a bind. But lucky for us, for the market to keep on functioning, that means someone has to buy what the other is selling. If the people decide to protect their own good by supporting businesses that operate ethically, then pretty soon good ethics become very profitable indeed. The oil execs of the world might just have to adjust their rearview mirrors, because alternative envery, organic goods, sustainable architecture and the like look like they're headed for the big leagues.