The recent crisis in the mortgage banking industry is a strong indicator of where a free-market economy can go if not over seen by a government with the willingness to reign in the organization that abuse the rights they have. Businesses exist to create wealth for the owners. Owners are for the most part shareholders with little actual influence on day-to-day operations of any company. At best they can vote their shares at stockholders meeting to influence policy with in the organization. 
With no oversight, business can approach financial anarchy where each decision is taken with consideration of maximum profit only. Hands-off government policies promote this way of doing business. The powerful business leaders have the ear of the lawmakers and can promote their own point of view on policy legislation. We have to be careful that this is not the only view the lawmakers hear. Responsible legislation promoting diverse opinions before major votes or policy decisions is one way. Stockholders should make efforts to know where their companies are headed and public disclosure must be encouraged. True Democracy depends on an informed voter and voting stockholders must be informed. 
Public interest organizations should make efforts to inform the voting stockholders and the public of views other than the business leaders’ profit-only-driven views.


Wyo_Knott