Is that anti free market?
I think we need these regulations and the proof is what is going on right now with billionaires buying out everything. What happens is that once an already billionaire buys out a company, they don't have to care about the customer where as the original owner knew their money came from the customers.
So is this anti free market idea?
To get an overview of the problem, I suggest you read Richard Maybury's "Whatever Happened to Justice." Just google it and order.
In short, regulation of industries is a symptom of political law, which is the rule of government officials and their bureacracies. Under natural or common law principles, individuals and corporations are expected to uphold their agreements and not encroach on others or their property.
For example if you have a factory that pollutes the stream that runs through your property, that business has encroached on you and you have the right to seek redress for it. The business owners have to pay you a settlement or at most go to jail. The solutions under common law are simple and knowable.
Under regulation, the factory may pay fees to the government to demonstrate compliance and avoid lawsuits from individual property owners. In other words, it lets them off the hook with regard to respecting property rights.
In a free market, competitors who are more ethical about they way deal with waste may gain an advantage over businesses that don't respect people.
Another aspect of regulation is that when they are called for, as in the case of the financial markets at the turn of the 20th Century, the targeted corporations mobilize to influence the outcome. Since they have the money and legislators often look at their representatives as experts, the corporations tend to get their way.
In a common law society, regulations are not needed. Jail time and financial restitution serve as deterrents to bad behavior. Regulations only serve to ensure the bad behavior continues.
