Poisoned Chinese Shoes

A lot of people say "Without government, what recourse would you have if someone injures you?"

In the *CURRENT* economic system, people are frequently left without recourse when they are injured. The following link is very disgusting. Here is a story about a woman who bought Chinese-made shoes in Wal-Mart that gave her severe chemical burns.

This woman tried complaining to Wal-Mart. They ignored her complaints, and didn't recall the shoes immediately. (Apparently, they stopped selling the shoes a month or two later.) The woman tried contacting to the company that imported them. The woman tried to contact the Chinese company that manufactured them.

It may not be practical for her to hire a lawyer. After all, her feet did heal after several months. Naturally, Wal-Mart would hire the best lawyers and drag out a lawsuit for years. I don't know if she is going to attempt a lawsuit. She may not be able to find a lawyer willing to represent her on contingency; the lawyer would know that suing Wal-Mart would likely take years. She may not be willing to spend $50k or more of her own money pursuing the case.

In the current economic and political system, this woman was injured and has no recourse. She tried appealing to the people who sold and manufactured the shoes. Appealing to the courts is expensive and time-consuming.

In a truly free market, this woman could hire her own police force to pursue her claim. There would be multiple courts competing to hear cases, and she could find a court that wouldn't be too expensive.