Invisible Hand

The “invisible hand” is used today to describe the incentives that people have in a free market economy: to make money and to buy stuff, oh-so-selfishly. It’s these few things that make up all of our markets, driving supply, demand, and prices. Unlike in a planned economy, where we’d have to decide how much of everything to make, free market economies work on their own, thanks to the invisible hand.

Those who believe the invisible hand knows best...just like mother...are usually free market proponents who see regulations as interfering with the natural course of the invisible hand.

The invisible hand implies that free market production leads to society-wide benefits, which are unintentional. Everyone’s just acting in their own self-interest. Employees are looking for the highest wages, consumers for the lowest prices, and producers for how to maximize profit. All these things keep the economy’s wheels turning, leading to growth, and uplifting society.

All praise the hand in the sky. Or the Wheel in The Sky, if you're a Journey fan.