• Laissez-faire is an economic philosophy of free market capitalism that opposes government intervention.

  • The laissez-faire theory was developed by the French Physiocrats in the 18th century.
  • Laissez-faire advocates that economic success is stifled when governments are involved in business and markets.
  • Later market economists built on the ideas of laissez-faire as a path to economic prosperity, although they were criticized by detractors for promoting inequality.
  • Critics argue that markets do need some degree of government regulation and participation.