Where is he getting all this? There's plenty of evidence of the common role of markets and merchants, even in ancient texts. And marketplace activity is presented both positively and negatively, just like in modern times.

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
...
She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
...
She considers a field and buys it;
...
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
...
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.

-- Proverbs 31

Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?"

-- Amos 8

The marketplace was clearly a major institution even in ancient times, needing discussion and addressing by religious authorities.

I don't see how modern times are any different other than the scale of prevalence of the market.