Milton Friedman whom co-authored the book Free to Choose with his wife in 1980 is a proponent of the free market economy. His accompanying series of ten programs combined theories from the American Declaration of Independence (Written, and signed for the most part by lawyers I might add!) with the economic freedoms manifested in Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations.

This means a system without regulation, without duties and burdensome taxes.

This means a system where those whom can become prosperous, and those whom cannot become the failures. It is a meritocratic system. Prima facie this may indicate the possibility for unfairness - what of the disabled man? Friedman might contest that it is down to each individual family to be self sufficient on their overall net worth. Families must adapt, must read the indications given by the free market, and must ensure their own prosperity: We live in a world of unparalleled freedom. A world in which those with the intellect, with the drive, and with the passion to be the best that they can will flourish. This is not a do-gooder welfare state. Each man stands on his own two feet, a testament to his own success. There is no government or organisation capable of the same level of efficiency as natural market forces. If it does not sell, we do not make it. If it is not practical to fix, we discard it.

This results in an economy constantly in flux - it will adapt and change with the needs and wants of the market. If a manufacturer cannot make a product on a cost effective basis then they make another. If a service becomes automated, the workers adapt and learn new skills, new trades, in order to compete in the free market.

Those with passion to trade can buy in the cheapest markets in the world, and sell in the most expensive. These industrious individuals do not travel from Asia to America and back again out of misguided pity for those in need of t-shirts in the united states. They do so to make a profit.

It is this enlightened self interest, the very basis of A Wealth of Nations, that allows disparate peoples to come together to produce ever more complex and rewarding goods for consumers like us in the West to buy.

It is not just us that see the benefit either - a free market means an overall increase in the prosperity of the world. Those whom would otherwise rot on state handouts find work, those with skills better them, and those who lead do just that - they take the raw potential of unharnessed human energy and funnel it into production, into the services sector, and ultimately, into all our pocket books.

This ladies and gentlemen is what makes our economy great - markets self regulate when they need to, and grow when they do not. No government can stand in the way of progress, and it is folly to try and do so. The Wealth of nations is at stake.

Employees are quite simply a commodity in a free market economy - you do a job, you get paid. A fair day's work for a fair day's pay. A plethora of employers is of massive benefit in ensuring fair pay and conditions for workers : Put simply, if you have a valuable skill it will be in demand, and the market will set the rate at which you will be paid. If your skills contribute to the success of business, if your skills increase the net worth of nation, then you will be compensated. Those of great intellect receive a pecuniary benefit for their services to society - but so do those in the society in which they work. Prosperity in a true free market means no more redundancies, a severe drop in unemployment - if no safety net exists by way of state welfare people will develop the skills they need to make themselves a viable commodity. In a true free market, there is no expectation that someone else will step into the breach when you cannot provide for your own - this is a system where every man must take responsibility for his actions, and that of his family. It is up to him, not any politician, to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. If they desire the luxuries and trappings of our modern paradise then they must earn them.

A free market system is meritocratic, with no regard for race religion sex or colour - there is simply one questions in any interview - Can you do the job?

It is this freedom, a political and social freedom founded upon a base of economic freedom, that gives us an expectation of protection - we know our jobs are safe because we produce a fair product for a fair price. We create real wealth, not numbers in a machine found in the quangos of Whitehall.

The system itself is just - the distribution of wealth according to merit is not a new one, but it is fair. Families must contribute to the world in which they live, and today more than ever it is a truly global world where companies from Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States can conspire to produce ever more brilliant products - because there is a demand.

The market dictates price, employment, and living standards. The people whom make a company work. A city work. A country work. They are the people whom benefit when a free market economy - true freedom to trade, to manufacture, and to sell, without tax or regulation, without hindrance or interference, are the people whom benefit. It is the workers as well as the employers. It is for this reason that true protection for employees is provided by the existence of many employers. Long live the free market economy.