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Rodrigo Coelho's avatar

Appreciate the response. Better late than never! (just please correct my name in the title)

I think you’re right that I probably overstated the uniqueness and role of the British legal system in the lead-up to the Industrial Revolution. But I’d still maintain that it established the foundations. More of a necessary than sufficient condition. Roman law likely met those standards as well.

Otherwise, all I can add is that I’d definitely like to see the experiment of anarcho-capitalism on a small scale (through charter cities, seasteading, and the like).

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DavesNotHere's avatar

“a good legal system is a precondition of free markets, not the other way around.”

I agree, but how is this a criticism of anarchocapitalism? If a good (I read that as reasonably effective, transparent, understandable, and adaptable) legal system is so beneficial, that is what people will want to buy, and that is what suppliers will sell. Just because people are able to innovate, that doesn’t mean that there are not powerful incentive for standardization.

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