Pre-discussion "When does the responsibility lie?"

Q1 : Should Government be responsible for keeping consumers safe

Indeed it is up to our governments to make sure the general safety of citizens is not threatened by minority groups, lobbies or private interests. Actually, it is one of the main responsibilities of a government. For instance, if a company starts to sell a product that could be harmful for citizen's health, it will undermine the government budget because healthcare expenses will dramatically increase. It's a high cost for a government and for society in general. Moreover, if every company sells whatever it wants, regarless from rules and guidelines, it will engender anarchy and prevent any citizen from a sustainable development.

Q5 : Should individuals be free to choose risky behavior if they want to? Explain

We have to be careful and make a clear distinction between the individual interest and the general interest. As long as an individual interest or behavior does not threaten other individuals interest or general interest, people are free to have the behavior they want to. Smoking is a good example. People are allowed to smoke at home or outside in the street. But when they start to "poison" or "pollute" other people or children lives, it becomes a big issue. To sum up, the individual freedom ends up when other people's freedom starts.