When they bailed out the corporations, it was spun as a way to save jobs and keep money coming into the economy. Of course there are other reasons why big government might give big business a lift, but that is another topic.
The outcome of all those bail outs is that the economic condition cannot recover quickly, until all of us little guys give up feeling guilty and enough of us bankrupt to make the market correction that would have occurred if the big corporations were not bailed out. When enough people go bankrupt the market will correct and I really think that those well paid factory workers who could have lost jobs are far fewer than the number of people now suffering debt induced poverty.
Since 6 out of 10 Canadians do not have enough savings to cover an adverse life event (job loss, divorce, death of a partner, sickness.) Most people will have one or more adverse life events (in my case, I've been insolvent since I started university) and can't pay back the debts. It took me several adverse events (injury and illness, single parenthood, dependant mother, job loss, business losses, 30% loss of home value) to bring me here, but I started with a pretty good earnings so I had further to fall! Those who start with less, should feel no more or no less guilt than anyone else; we are all pawns in this economic game.
Laissez-faire market relies on many buyers and many sellers. There are many buyers but monopolies for most sellers, so you are right, it doesn't exist. Mass Marketing was never part of "natural markets" because most marketing and media is psychologically engineered to entice buyers to buy more than they really need (by making them feel inadequate, for example) and banks stand ready with credit products. Goods are set at prices set by monopolies who outsource labour to countries who pay poverty wages and rob the earth of resources making profits and interest revenue. THANK GOD for bankruptcy! It wouldn't exist if it didn't serve an important function.
I tell everyone I am going bankrupt...everyone. It is time to break the stigma and celebrate bankrupcy as a meaningful contribution to the economy in times like these. So when you go bankrupt, you are actually taking money from the rich and redistributing wealth. This is an amazingly brave thing to do which will help the entire population (because income disparity is creating child poverty that should embarrass Canadians!) Occupy this!
