> The bottom line is that when two parties enter into a contract voluntarily, that should be the end of the matter.
That is a very black and white view; real life has a certain nuance that just isn't captured by blanket statements like this.
You'll miss things if you limit yourself to a single level of abstraction: while it makes sense to the two parties to look at it like that, there is also a larger-scale, societal interest that certain sorts of contracts not be allowed. Thus, society makes rules about contracts and employment. For example, we ban slavery, indentured servitude, and child labor because as a society, we've determined that those are exploitive (even if you can get children who would willingly work for you, or people who would sell themselves to you).
These sorts of laws are what make us a society. For an example of a what happens without them, take a look at Somalia.
That is a very black and white view; real life has a certain nuance that just isn't captured by blanket statements like this.
You'll miss things if you limit yourself to a single level of abstraction: while it makes sense to the two parties to look at it like that, there is also a larger-scale, societal interest that certain sorts of contracts not be allowed. Thus, society makes rules about contracts and employment. For example, we ban slavery, indentured servitude, and child labor because as a society, we've determined that those are exploitive (even if you can get children who would willingly work for you, or people who would sell themselves to you).
These sorts of laws are what make us a society. For an example of a what happens without them, take a look at Somalia.