Government-Created Monopolies

The cluster centers on debates about whether monopolies arise naturally in free markets or are primarily created, enforced, or protected by governments through regulations, patents, and interventions. Commenters argue that government actions stifle competition and enable monopolistic abuses rather than preventing them.

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Keywords

IE6 US janefriedman.com www.wsj monopolies monopoly government granted competition governments enforced regulated prisons prisoners

Sample Comments

digitaltrees • May 15, 2020 • View on HN

Government is not a monopoly. There are many governments. Besides sovereign countries there are regional and local divisions. Often also branches with separate powers. While not quite the same competition as companies there is certainly competition and checks and balances such that typical monopoly analysis is not really suitable.

mmmlinux • Jun 6, 2025 • View on HN

sounds like a bit of a government sanctioned monopoly.

jessaustin • Sep 5, 2018 • View on HN

Perhaps you meant, "thanks government-enforced monopoly"?

ThunderSizzle • Mar 10, 2022 • View on HN

I assume it's a monopoly that a/the government created/enforces?

schmidty • Aug 23, 2016 • View on HN

How is government protecting a monopoly free market exactly?

sbhn • May 11, 2018 • View on HN

Governments are in the business of creating monopolies.

criddell • Oct 3, 2018 • View on HN

Being a monopoly isn't the problem. It's when monopoly power is abused that the government steps in.

smokeyj • May 16, 2011 • View on HN

Governments stifle competition and promote monopolies. Don't believe what they tell you.

wildmusings • Jun 22, 2018 • View on HN

That is a government-granted monopoly. There is no such dynamic here.

HDThoreaun • Jul 8, 2023 • View on HN

Competition works. Your examples are government granted monopolies which are obviously terrible