gavra-
Not sure where you’re disagreeing with me. A tanna (!) recognized prices were too high and did something about it. So your logic goes that therefore when a politician feels it’s too high, he/she should do something about it??
charlie-
You keep using the different example of mandated charity to show the Torah is against pure capitalism. This goes lishitascha that Ayn Rand is the quintessential right wing economist (despite not being an economist), and because Rand was opposed to charity, therefore capitalism is against the Torah. In reality, however, far better examples of quintessential right wing economists are Hayek and Friedman. Both of them were proponents of charity, even from the government
– “Nor is there any reason why the state should not assist the individual in providing for those common hazards of life against which, because of their uncertainty, few individuals can make adequate provision.”- Hayek
And remember, Friedman invented the negative income tax. So your criticism is way off base.