In which economy do prices of goods and services predominantly respond to supply and demand fluctuations?

In a free market economy, prices of goods and services are determined primarily by the forces of supply and demand. This means that when demand for a product increases, prices tend to rise, encouraging producers to supply more of that product. Conversely, when demand decreases, prices typically fall, which may lead producers to cut back on production. This dynamic interaction allows for flexibility and responsiveness to changes in consumer preferences and resource availability.

In contrast, in a command economy, the government typically makes decisions about production and pricing, significantly limiting the role of supply and demand. A planned economy also operates under similar principles, where central authority dictates economic activities. While a mixed economy incorporates elements of both free market and command economies, the free market component is the portion where supply and demand largely dictate prices. This makes the free market economy the correct choice, as it is the environment in which prices are most closely tied to the interactions of consumers and producers.