The Right of Free Exchange

E188021

The Right of Free Exchange is a principle in Herbert Spencer’s political philosophy asserting that individuals should be free to trade goods, services, and labor without coercive interference from the state.

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Label Occurrences
The Right of Free Exchange canonical 1

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Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf component of Herbert Spencer's political philosophy
liberal principle
political principle
aimsAt maximizing individual liberty in economic life
minimizing state intervention in markets
appliesTo contractual agreements
exchange of goods
exchange of labor
exchange of services
associatedWith classical liberalism
individualism
laissez-faire
componentOf Herbert Spencer's broader system of natural rights
Herbert Spencer's theory of justice
coreIdea contracts between consenting adults should be respected
individuals should be free to trade goods, services, and labor
state should not coercively interfere with voluntary exchanges
criticizedBy egalitarian liberals
socialists
criticizedFor ignoring structural inequalities in bargaining power
potentially permitting exploitative labor contracts
hasAuthor Herbert Spencer
influencedBy classical economics
natural rights theory
justifiedBy moral autonomy of the individual
principle of equal freedom
normativeStatus moral right
political right
opposes coercive economic regulation
compulsory labor regulations
price controls
protective tariffs
state monopolies
state-imposed trade restrictions
relatedTo economic liberty
freedom of association
negative rights
right to private property
requires absence of coercion in market transactions
legal protection of contracts
secure property rights
supports freedom of contract
market competition
private property rights
voluntary exchange

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Social Statics hasPart The Right of Free Exchange