Free market myth

Both D Murray and Bruce Crichton seem to be living in another world (Letters, 31 October). One hundred years ago there may have been smog from coal burning, but there were no CFCs, PCBs, dioxins or fumes from 20 million cars. The seas were still full of fish and rainforests relatively untouched.

Our high standard of living depends directly on plundering the natural world, and social disasters like the slave trade or ethnic cleansing of native Americans by white settlers.

The western free market, competitive economy is a myth, dispelled by the subsidies to oil, gas, the nuclear industry, bio-technology, drug companies, defence, transport and farming. There are also relocation grants and regional assistance.

Anything goes where wealth creation is concerned, including engineering coups, endemic unemployment, displacement of native peoples, coercion and rule-breaking.

JOHN ROGERSON

Livingstone Place

Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire