Socialists and the free market

To the point:

Socialists cannot grasp the benefits of privatization because they don't understand the nature of markets. It's not enough to empirically show that privatization has generated benefits. One must explain why free markets produce these results: this is where Austrian economics has been exceptionally successful. (#)

True, true. Mises and Hayek and other Austrians are among the most influencal economists of our time and have done a better job than many others in explaining why limited goverment and indivudual freedom makes lives better and longer for more people than any other social system. Their legacy should never be neglected.

But why this distrust in the free market? Why does the Left need so much convincing? Of course I'm not saying that the Left should without a thought swallow all economic theories of the Right. Of course we should all be critizising in our minds and not follow some straight line to some one goal without a second thougth. Many of those who call themselves right-winged in politics have doubts about privatization of the welfare-system and others are not so sure that limited government would have the strength to protect private property and protect induviduals from violence and theft. However, they can be reasoned with and some kind of solution found which is based on the ideals of liberty and respect for the induviduals right to make right and/or wrong decisions at his own responsibility. This does not hold for the Left without some serious battles and that is bad and just prolonges bad systems and human sufferings.

Of course these thougths automatically bring me to Iceland where the so-called center-right government is passing laws against ownership of medias. The Left doesn't disagree with the "need" for restricting laws. No, no. They just disagree with how the law is being passed. Not surprising. Actually, rather typical. When there is talk about tax-cuts the Left can disagree in principle, but when there is talk about restrictions and more regulation its just the technicalities which bother the Left. Damn.