Separation of Commerce and State Large Coffee Mug

Religion is not the only organization to be kept separate from the State. Just as government must not show preferential treatment to any person or organization based on religious reasons, so it must not show preferential treatment to any private trader or business based on who had the most money to buy influence. As long as the State has regulatory power over private commerce, there will always be lobbyists looking to buy special advantages; a free market after all means government cannot protect any trader or business concern from competition. In both economic and ethical terms, Ayn Rand was the most thoughtful defender of laissez-faire capitalism. No has made a more powerful case for the Separation of Commerce and State; though, as you can see, it's a thoroughly difficult task.