However, under this representation of the market, merchants would charge excessively high prices for their products in order to expand their profits. As Heilbroner observes, "Something else must prevent the pushing of profit hungry individuals from holding society up to exorbitant ransom: a community activated by self-interest would be a community of ruthless profiteers- (Pg 55). It is at this point that Smith further elucidates the other mechanisms built into the market that serve to keep it in check. .
Smith demonstrates that competition between merchants will ensure reasonable prices and the production of goods that the public desires. As Heilbroner comments, " if he charges too much for his wears or refuses to pay as much as everybody else for his workers, he will find himself without buyers in the one case and without employee's in the other- (Pg 55). Indeed, the selfishness of man absolutely ensures that non-producers are given economical prices for their goods and fair wages for their work. It is interesting to note that in this circumstance the egotism of man actually contributes to fair prices. Heilbroner expounds on this concept saying, "Selfish motives of men are transmuted by interaction to yield social harmony- (Pg 56).
Smith than describes how the market establishes this communal concord. As Heilbroner espouses, "But the laws of the market do more than impose a competitive price on products. They also see to it that the producers of society heed society's demands for the quantities of goods it wants."" (Pg 56). This concept seems to be common sense. Basically this citation means that if goods are in higher demand, there will be a greater supply of them. For example, if the public wants Pokemon cards, and no longer demands baseball cards, industries that formerly produced baseball cards would begin to shift their resources to the production of Pokemon cards. A similar adjustment happens with regard to workers' wages.