When Gathering for Holiday Feasts, Offer a Toast to Economic Freedom
Mike Kubinec | 12/26/2011
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Throughout the holiday season, people across the world gather with family and friends around tables of abundant foods to celebrate. Traditional fare like that enjoyed by the Cratchits in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been augmented by a cornucopia of flavors and diverse treats that would have been unthinkable even a half a century ago. Today’s Christmas feast is both abundant and diverse – from mouth-watering lamb, honey-glazed hams and sausages to steaming baguettes, fried dumplings, ravioli, Swiss chocolate mousse and cannoli, there are an abundance of choices!

As we reflect upon the evolving food choices for traditional holiday meals, we might consider the conditions that make prosperity possible — economic freedom. Economic freedom supports innovation and free trade, making food more affordable and more plentiful. Over the past few centuries, the world has trended toward greater economic freedom and as a result, the rates of undernourishment have decreased while the population has greatly expanded. There is significantly more food available to the average person today than there was one hundred years ago.



Innovation Increased Food Production:

Economic freedom exposes people to new products and in doing so, fosters creativity and innovation in bringing these products to our tables at an affordable price. It not only spawns curiosity and creativity, economic freedom also provides greater access to labor, machines and raw materials, lowering the cost of starting a business and encouraging healthy competition. This kind of innovation improves efficiency, increases production and, subsequently, lowers prices to consumers.

The seed drill is an example of technological innovation that transformed farming by increasing food production and lowered food prices. Prior to the technology, farmers planted seed by hand — a method that lacked precision and wasted seeds. The seed drill allowed for efficient, even distribution of seeds. As a result, more seed could be planted in less time and evenly dispersed so that soil was not wasted and plants wouldn’t have to compete for nutrients. These improvements translated into greater crop yields and, therefore, lower prices. And additional innovation has continued to improve efficiency and increase the agricultural output.



Free Trade Has Brought More Food to More People:

Trade is the voluntary exchange of goods or services between parties. The ability to explore opportunities to trade exposes us to the goods produced by others as well as their production methods, motivating adoption of new, better ways to improve human well-being. When parties are free to trade, people benefit from access to greater quantity and choice. Furthermore, increased competition made possible by trade also drives the price of goods down.

“Free trade” simply means the absence of obstacles to exchange that take away value from both parties like tariffs and currency manipulation. Those countries that strive to eliminate barriers to free trade enjoy more options, greater quantities and lower prices of goods. But how does this work?

Free trade allows people to specialize in goods or services that they produce most efficiently relative to others. The result is often more products at lower prices!

For example, Bob grows apples but wants an orange; Sarah grows oranges but wants an apple. So, Bob and Sarah trade their respective fruits and both come away having gained from the transaction without having to grow both types of fruit. By focusing on growing just one product, Bob and Sarah will produce more of each because they can dedicate all of their land and labor to growing that one type of fruit. Again, this aspect of free trade leads to greater supply and lower prices.

Economic freedom fosters a wellspring of innovation and free trade; with innovation and free trade comes more competition, better products, and as a result more variety and choice. So as we reflect on this joyful season, let’s be thankful not only for what is on our table, but also for the economic freedom that helps make our abundance possible.

dreadlocks previously said:

anthonyc, this is not intended for the victims of free trade. it is intended for the beneficiaries...such as multinational agribusiness. the Haitian rice growers, who saw their industry wiped out by so called free trade, and the textile workers of Gambia, to name a few, would strongly disagree with you.

Ricardolito previously said:

Yes free trade is a wonderful thing in theory ,,but when it is being helped along by child labour and by massive deprevation of everything by those countries who have few economic resources..it is as evil as communism or total protectionism ........I think everyone in authority sees that a sensible balance is needed and regrettably rules put in place so that the greed and averice associtaed with capitalism is kept in check ,
Everything lies in toleration and consideration and lack of rigidity

In 2008 there were 215 million children working illegally in the eyes of international law, almost 14% of all the world’s children under 18. In sub-Saharan Africa, this proportion rises to 25%. Countries with a particularly high incidence of child labour include Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Yemen.

stillhere previously said:

hold the phone for just a moment.... If I am not going mad and maybe I am but Mr AC i seem to be getting very confused... You are a proud capttalist pig.... but on a forum you are posting pages by Gore Vidal and Christopher Hitchens two very well known socialists....... Some one help me out here to understand or just maybe find out if your wife is posting in your place sometimes.... or was that other forum posted as a joke....

dreadlocks previously said:

poor anthonyc

That fact is that the vast majority of people are fed today because of the capitalist system.
what are you trying to discuss? is it capitalism, or the free market? besides, as i have told you a million times, there is no such thing as a free market. when the USA subsides farmers to the tune of 200 billion per year, that is equivalent to 3 times the entire GDP of the Dominican Republic. how can a country like that have ¨free trade¨with a third world nation? when they have the power to set the rules of trade, how does Haiti have free trade with them? you need to read, and stop listening to talk radio.