3 ms·

> the free market 'the free market' here is actually more like an oligopoly than a free market, yet is being legislated as if it is a free market.. that's the

• tstrimple 9y ago
  That's because there is no such thing as a "free market" outside of text books and libertarian fantasies.
  • stale2002 9y ago
    The rock bottom retail Walmart style prices kinds proves otherwise, though right? If oligopoly pricing is what happens, how come things are so awesome for consumers right now with these razor thin margins and low prices? If it was an oligopoly we'd see high prices and the consumer being screwed. Do you think this is happening?
    • Dirlewanger 9y ago
      Oligopolies can still be "good" for the customer, but bad for everyone else (i.e. every small business shuttered by Walmart/Amazon).
    • cat199 9y ago
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy) replace 'foreign market' with 'big box' and 'domestic' with 'small guy' and there you have it.. the 'consumer' here also can't realistically open up a factory to compete with any of the products being sold... and so is not really a full market participant
      • stale2002 9y ago
        Why would I care what happens to some rando for profit company, even if it is small? All I care about is the consumer. And consumers benefit when prices are low. People keep predicting that price dumping will cause prices to rise later or something but those predictions have never come true. IE, people keep saying that Walmart will do this, but how long have they been around? A long time, and prices are still low. Same with Amazon. Prices are still low. How many decades from now will those inevitable price increases happen?