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Comment by eulji | Hacker News Reader

I am from the ostbloc som my taxes are are being spent on bribing, corruption etc. We might not be paying that huge taxes but it's still a lot.

I am less compassionate than the other folks in Europe and would really prefer a more capitalistic system at least in my country. But we Europeans are....ehhhh.

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Corruption is a problem by itself - it doesn't make the social democracies wrong.

And expect corruption in the private system, too. There's no other explanation for $500 aspirins :-)

A free market is denoted by the absence of intervention by government, price-setting monopoly, or other authority. Under what circumstances are these $500 aspirin being purchased? I have a strong suspicion that some sort of cartel is involved. If not, I'd be happy to supply the market for far less.

Cartel, like in a corrupt system, right? Maybe just what I've said?

If you can get in the healthcare industry in the US you'll be a genius. Or probably a criminal, there's no legal way to get out of the current status quo without government intervention.

I like the free market, but you're oversimplifying reality.

There's another explanation (among many) for $n aspirin, that is to cover shortfalls from public health program reimbursements. It's a similar story with life flights. Not exactly a problem borne out of the private market, unless you're arguing that government intervention is corrupt?

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