The root cause of monopolies

Alright, so the free market gets a lot of slack for things it's not even responsible. One of the biggest misconceptions about free markets is that it causes monopolies. This is a typical leftist's biggest argument and it is not true. Try understanding what causes monopolies to be made in the first place.

  1. Regulations: Increases cost of doing business. The smaller the business, the harder it is to survive. Removes competition.
  2. Subsidies: Makes it easier for bigger businesses to survive by being able to sell their services/products for cheaper than the competition. Once again, removes competition.
  3. Nationalization: Best examples are currency, the education system, and a monopoly on the 'lawful' use of force (the police, military, IRS, etc.).
  4. Tariffs: Don't like your neighbors providing a better service/product for cheaper? No problem, charge import taxes on these services/products till it's more expensive than the local equivalent.
  5. Intellectual Property: This speaks for itself. Does it matter if someone else comes up with the same idea half a second before you but doesn't get to file it before you do? Nope, they're screwed.
    Why bother providing a better product or service when you can bribe your friendly neighborhood lawmakers to remove competition as much as possible? None of these restrictions can be placed on the market without government intervention. Period. And if these restrictions are in place, it's not a free market to begin with. So why blame the free market when we don't even have a free market, for creating monopolies when it's completely the fault of government?
    Are you looking clearly at the root of the problem (the state) or the easiest scapegoat to place the blame on?
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