When you say, <"In a hypothetical society that had been free-market for a hundred years, New Orleans at its present location might not exist." > I am forced to point out that various cities exist precisely because of the "free-market" prime directive of comparative advantage. NOLA has a 200 ft deep port. Nowhere else can such large ships get in and out. This is reason for the existence of New Orleans, as well as the reason it will continue to exist.

When you tell me <"The government has made it possible for many people to live in places that no private insurance would deal with .."> I infer that you equate insurance with a free market. I am sure you are aware of the origins of the insurance "industry" and I wonder how you feel about the gambling industry and the re-building of the facilities in Mississippi?

We have differing persepectives on the role of government and I am interesting in what a free market approach to these issues is. this does not mean I am in opposition to these ideas or that the avenues of approach that I might take are better or worse, simply that I want to know where a Libertarian might be coming from.

And Gouging occurs when only one person controls the supply of hammers and maximizes his price while inhibiting the availability of hammers from competing in his artificially restricted market.

Publius