a) Getting one is a routine process that requires objective standards be met, and costs nearly nothing.
b) Again, these are statewide and nationwide standards that are not subject to local administrative bodies' whims. If your wiring meets standard, you're allowed to do it. You don't have to apply to the county and have them decide that the rest of the neighborhood uses Romex, so your MC armored cable won't "fit".
c) Again, these are uniform standards. No subjectivity or rigourous meetings required for each installatino
d) See my responses above. All manufacturers are playing on the same field, and don't have to get permission for every single aesthetic change. If Toyota decides they're offering fuchsia as a color option next year, then can just do that. So long as the clearly-defined standards are met.
e) See my responses above
f) But the county doesn't get to dictate which ingredients can be paired together. If my local hipster burger joint wants to offer a peanut butter and sardines burger, they can just do that. No government review required on how tasty it will be.
g) Agreed! Free market ideologies are not the same as anarchism, but many people on seem to conflate the two. For a market to be free, there needs to be a minimum of information asymmetry and a minimum of uncertainty. All participants should ideally know the rules of the game as they enter. If I buy a property, I should have full confidence that I can build A or B or C, and also be clear that X, Y, or Z will be prohibited.
A free market doesn't mean an unfettered one. It just means that pricing is transparent, rules are objective (and known!), and the so called "playing field" is level. There are a minimum of case-by-case decisions, or rules that favor one class over another.