On: Quotations Of The Dread Pirate Roberts, Founder Of Silk Road

[cheeseprocedure]

Is there historical evidence to back the notion that, through market forces, employment standards would rise to meet workers' demands?

[jacoblyles → cheeseprocedure]

Growth in wages and better working conditions broadly followed the growth in labor productivity. I see labor protection laws as a lagging indicator of worker well-being that are only passed when a society is rich enough to afford them.

[mr_spothawk → cheeseprocedure]

Hong Kong is a good example. You can watch the first episode of Milton Friedman's PBS series "Free to Choose" for more details.

*edit for clarity

[JVIDEL → mr_spothawk]

HK grew off opium trafficking and money laundering, any other examples?

[cmhamill → cheeseprocedure]

Put plainly, no.