Free market - success and failure

The free market works for certain products which are physical, transparent and easy to understand. It has produced better quality products at lower prices.

The free market has failed to work well for many services, such as financial, medical and legal services. The consumers require an expert to advise on these matters. If the experts are allowed to charge any fee and define their own standard, it is likely to lead to exploitation of consumers.

These services need to be regulated to protect the interest of consumers. It also needs a strong consumer association to help the consumers to understand and exercise their rights, and to ensure fair treatment of consumers.

In the past years, these professional services are regulated by the authority and self-regulated by the professional bodies.

The standards of regulation and self-regulation has dropped in recent years during the era of the free market. The authority believed that consumers can take care of themselves and choose the advisers who can serve them best. This view goes against empircal evidence. Many consumers are fleeced by some unscrupulous so-called experts.

The role of government is to govern. It cannot be delegated to the "free market". The government has to ensure honest and fair behaviour for the benefit of society. It has to set the example for businesses and the people to follow. It is time to re-think the role of the free market.

Tan Kin Lian