Free-rider argument

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The Free-rider argument is an argument against political individualism in certain situations where it is perceived an individual can receive some or all of the benefits of a collective environment while avoiding any of the costs. A commonly cited example is a person who pays little or no tax who gets to use public transport, public roads, public education or public medicine for free.

Counter-Arguments

Individualist writers have often replied to this argument by acknowledging that the free-rider 'problem' is pervasive within our society but that it is in fact not a problem at all. For example, people who participate little in a market economy (say an unskilled labourer) benefit enormously from the efficiencies of the division of labour and the technology and power of the market economy. Compare the quality of life of such an unskilled labourer in a first world and a third world country. Thus, argues the Individualist, a free-rider is anyone who benefits from voluntary interaction with other Men.