I nearly always agree with the things you say about free markets. The itch I never get past, which my read of this post doesn't sufficiently scratch, is monopoly. Monopolies seem naturally emergent in the absence of regulation. Perhaps monopoly isn't the right word here- when I look at it from a consumer perspective (because, realistically, that's all I'll individually ever be), what I really mean is "price fixing." If given a completely unrestrained climate, why wouldn't purveyors ALWAYS align behind inflated pricing, especially the largest ones that can crush competitive pricing by smaller ones? Especially goods that are difficult to opt out of, like energy? Aren't guilds or syndicates essentially inevitable in a market that does nothing to restrain them? What you're talking about in this post is currency, and it all makes sense. But what about that "stuff of daily life" you mention? Help me see what I'm missing.