> At some point I thought that companies would become more powerful than states, but I've changed my mind on that. Companies don't need to compete with state p

> At some point I thought that companies would become more powerful than states, but I've changed my mind on that. Companies don't need to compete with state power because they can have state power. They can essentially become states within the state. A large enough landowner can be a de facto legal jurisdiction with its own law enforcement arm. Large-scale landlords and employers can simply make and enforce any rule that isn't explicitly illegal. And in addition to eviction and firing (both of which can be catastrophic to many people) they can simply hire "off-duty" police officers to do their law enforcement. Those cops can use more or less all of their police tools and methods, and they can find a reason to arrest and charge more or less anyone in service of their masters. And in some US states, it is legal for companies to simply have their own private police force, paid by the company and with all the powers of a state police force.