It's not that the average Joe is stupid, but that ideas must circulate to be understood and memorised, and the idea of unregulated trade appears too rarely and to too few. There are two reasons for which people request regulated markets, selfishness and ignorance. It is selfish, for example, when workers demand a higher price for their efforts, when the employer could get other workers to do the job at a lower price. It is criminal when these workers hold the assets of the company hostage, or obstruct it's ability to operate. Such a person, if he obstructed this trade would be liable for criminal charges.
Ignorance occurs because there appears an interesting paradox when it comes to trade.
The paradox is that on first appearance trade would appear to be a one way street when in fact it is more complex. Say, for example, one might suggest the country prints a stack of money and distribute it equally to all the population. What a fine idea, the masses cry with excitement, seeing only that everyone will have some extra cash, and that this will bring rapid spending and a boosted economy. Problem is, all it will do is cause problems, but to see that one must understand what money represents and how this printing devalues the assets of the nation and renders many economically smart investments as unprofitable because the capital will have less value than predicted. This forum provides not enough space to explain the myriad of other similar paradoxes that make regulation appear beneficial but in reality threaten our livelihoods.