Why do so many people instinctively distrust free markets? Erik Lidström’s answer is rooted in evolutionary psychology. In this piece, published on CapX last week, he argues that for nearly two million years, humans lived as hunter-gatherers, in small groups where unpredictable resources were shared equally, regardless of individual effort. Our brains are still wired for that world, and the very different rules of the market economy trigger unjustified suspicion.
Each week we bring you Despatch – an example of the best writing from CapX, read aloud. For hosted conversations, listen to The Capitalist, every Wednesday.
