Which bastards? Seriously, I don't get it. I've been unhappy now and then with dealings I've had in commerce, and shaken the dust of a company or two off my feet when they consistently didn't deliver what I wanted, but I don't recall ever actually being consciously cheated by anyone. Screwups, yes, but nothing malicious. As for my treatment as an employee, I grant I didn't work for big companies as much as others might have, although I have worked for Lockheed and 3M as a lowly cubicle jockey.

I read the papers. I know that people have been cheated by businessmen, some on a major scale, but compared to the vast majority of business dealings?

What is the level of corruption as a percentage in the private sector with the public sector? I honestly don't know. My dad would say it takes two to tango, and every private entity trying to screw with the system generally has to hook up with someone in the public sector who's willing to play ball.

Think about it. Everybody. Have you really had as much trouble with people you buy things from as you have had with, say, the IRS? Or fewer options to deal with problems when they come up?

Throughout history the most successful societies, the ones it's been best to live in, have been the ones with the most freedom in their economic system. Is this just a weird coincidence?