Free market Quote by Martin Adams
““Our inability to share the gifts of nature causes much suffering in the world today... We mistakenly believe that a free market should allow people and corporations to profit from nature, yet we've failed to consider the immense cost to life that occurs whenever people are allowed to reap what they haven't sown at the expense of others. While the privatization of capital can lead to production efficiencies that benefit the entire market, the same can't be said for privatization of nature. Whenever the income stream from nature is privatized, human beings take for themselves the gifts that would better be freely shared with everyone.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Environmental Economics, 2015, Martin Adams
Treating nature as a privatizable asset ignores its intrinsic value and leads to ecological harm, unlike market efficiencies in production.
In simple terms: Privatizing nature harms ecosystems; markets shouldn't own it.
Key Takeaway
Protect shared natural resources from private profit.
Themes
environmental ethics
economics
social justice
Mood
concerned
reflective
Type
advocacy
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- corporate responsibility
- community stewardship
- education
Key Concepts
commons theory
externalities
sustainability
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies can keep nature public?
- How do we value ecosystem services?
A Different Perspective
Privatization may ignore long-term ecological costs.
![“[The natural world cleans water, pollinates plants and provides pharmaceuticals, among many other gifts.] Thirty trillion dollars worth of services, scot-free to humanity, every year.” quote by E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/869/e-o-wilson-1348_dollars_the-natural-world-cleans-water-pollinate_253878.jpg)
