The phenomenon you describe isn't "communism", nor is it recent. Private interests have long tried to use the unique power of the state to shield themselves fr

The phenomenon you describe isn't "communism", nor is it recent. Private interests have long tried to use the unique power of the state to shield themselves from market forces. Unfortunately, the people have not only abetted that, but often demanded it; see the recent demands to enshrine extant ISPs as government-chartered monopolies (i.e., utilities) rather than remove the anti-competitive regulations that have fomented high costs and poor service. As for bailouts, there too the people have long been convinced that the government needs to "fix" the market. Unsurprisingly, the means by which these "fixes" occur happens to benefit the ruling class (politicians and corporate executives) and big firms, giving them a competitive advantage over would-be competitors, and thereby growing ever bigger.