The 'Free market principle' does not necessarily imply zero profits. It's more along the line of: The profits should stay in line with the risks that the enter

The 'Free market principle' does not necessarily imply zero profits. It's more along the line of: The profits should stay in line with the risks that the enterprise needs to take. More risky business sectors should (e.g. more upfront investments required) produce higher profits. Same as riskier bonds commanding a premium over t-bills. But I agree that a lot of big players have managed to position themselves outside any 'free markets'