By creating a healthy competitive private sector, competitive markets also help keep the state’s authoritarian tendencies in check, and democracy vibrant. Thus, markets and democracy could be mutually supportive. I emphasize “could” because there are circumstances where the voting public is apathetic to public policy, and others where it might actively turn against private wealth and competitive markets. This is why democratic protest works best when it is timely, before people believe the system is beyond reform.
