Answer: Beginning as a single five-and-dime, this company has grown to have more than 5,000 stores in 10 countries, grossing nearly $260 billion annually, all in only 50 years. It is now the largest retailer in the world, employing 1.5 million people. Numerous cities count this retail giant’s sales tax revenue as their single largest source of income. More than 100 million people shop here every week, including some that take advantage of free camping in the store’s parking lot.

Question: What is Wal-Mart?

Wal-Mart’s long list of achievements goes on. But nearly as long is the list of its enemies. Wal-Mart is at once the most successful business in the world and the most despised. The accusations against it appear daily in the media, flung from every imaginable source. Wal-Mart is allegedly guilty of exploiting children, women, the old, the sick, the poor, of “undercutting” local businesses, of discrimination, of union-busting, of supplier “manipulation,” of being “too big,” of violating the rights of consumers, workers, Third World peasants, even of “locking up” employees and refusing to allow them medical treatment.

A brief analysis of these charges shows that when stripped of their deceptively negative language, they reduce to hysterical criticisms of positive qualities.

Charge: Wal-Mart exploits women, children, minorities and the elderly. Truth: Many people have chosen to better their lives as Wal-Mart associates (1.5 million of them, in fact).

Charge: Wal-Mart undercuts local businesses. Truth: Wal-Mart offers such product variety, low prices and convenience that 100 million customers per week choose Wal-Mart’s smiling yellow mascot over their local grocer.

Charge: Wal-Mart violates the rights of workers by prohibiting unions in its stores. Truth: Wal-Mart upholds its right to hire whomever it chooses.

Charge: Wal-Mart manipulates its suppliers into harmful agreements. Truth: Wal-Mart offers terms to its suppliers that they choose to accept.

Charge: Wal-Mart locks up its employees. Translation: “I despise Wal-Mart so much that to demonize it I will misrepresent facts and evade context.”

All of these accusations — the true ones at least — have a fundamental aspect in common: anger at Wal-Mart’s success and a demand for its sacrifice. Observe that no matter who Wal-Mart is accused of “exploiting,” “undercutting” or “manipulating,” the proposed solution is some sacrifice on Wal-Mart’s part, whether it be higher wages to benefit workers, less efficiency to benefit mom-and-pop or unacceptable terms to benefit suppliers. Never mind that all of these so-called abuses are the result of voluntary agreements, not force.

It is a truly frightening state of affairs when the determined pursuit of goals and defense of personal freedom are magnets for the most concerted and malevolent attacks. At the time of this country’s inception, the defense of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness was seen as the primary American virtue; 228 years later, it has increasingly come to be seen as a vice. Witness as evidence the constant attacks on successful businesses today.

In today’s standard view of business, “big” is seen as bad and profit is seen as greed. In this climate, Wal-Mart stands out as a defiant defender of economic freedom. It is rare indeed to find a company that has the integrity to close a store rather than sacrifice itself to the demands of unionists, as Wal-Mart did recently in Quebec. It is refreshing to see a company continue to strive for increased efficiency, even as its critics denounce its competitiveness as “unfair.” It is inspiring to see a company remain undeterred in the pursuit of its goals even as its enemies remain undeterred in the pursuit of its destruction.

This is not to say that Wal-Mart is perfect. Its occasional use of eminent domain should be halted. But the independent spirit and determination Wal-Mart has shown in the face of criticism makes it a model for all businesses, large and small.

In order to stop the deterioration of individual rights and the slow choking of America’s economy via taxation and regulation, it is vital that business leaders defend their right to retain what they earn and to make decisions as they see fit. To Wal-Mart, if you are reading this: Keep up the good work.