Peace and free trade

A wonderful post from one of my favorite economists, Don Boudreaux. (What kind of geek has “favorite” economists? Don’t ask.):

On this Earth Day, I celebrate capitalism — the institution that, far more than any other, has made human lives clean, safe, dignified, and culturally rich. Capitalism is also responsible for giving people the wealth and leisure to permit them to mis-perceive nature as loving and bountiful, and to enjoy nature in a way that few of our pre-industrial ancestors could ever have enjoyed it.