4 ms·

My analysis: People often get cough up in definitions of what is or isn't monopoly or what free market is, on HN. And its even often argued in USA politics. In

My analysis: People often get cough up in definitions of what is or isn't monopoly or what free market is, on HN. And its even often argued in USA politics. In EU its far less. What is important is the perceived result (Apple, Google, Facebook have enormous power over daily lives of people) and how people feel (weather something is fair of not). And many inside EU myself included think that > Google, Apple, Facebook or Amazon are abusing their market position, that they are doing shady stuff to limit competition, starting to use more and more dark patterns, avoiding taxes (taxes are higher in EU so people are more pissed if somebody is "getting away with it") and generally don't trust them. So politicians (that want to score points with people) are doing what people want. Another thing is, that some of this companies are starting to become so powerful that they are starting to worry politicians themselves. So politicians are "defending their turf", by smacking the upstarts when they can. (This is happening in USA as well )

nickpp 5y ago
This is a good analysis. Personally, since somebody will inevitably have enormous power over my daily life anyway, I'd rather have it be corporations because they actually have to provide useful stuff to exist and the competition will keep them in check. Unlike politicians whose first interest is getting elected and second getting reelected with any other concern at a huge distance away.
- unionpivo 5y ago
  At the end of day power is power. Once a corporation has enough of it compared to local governments it might as well be "government like entity" themselves, or like in case of defense contractors (not just USA, look at Airbuss in EU, Ariane in France, NSO and others in Israel) where it's hard to draw a line where corporations end and government start. There are plenty of places with week governments in the world, where global multinationals are above the law (look at Africa, some south America). If corporations get big enough, this might start happening in more developed world as well. I perhaps notice it more because I live in small country (Slovenia) whose entire national budget is lower than any one of the FANG's. This is one of the reason I support EU despite it's many shortcomings.

nickpp 5y ago

This is a good analysis. Personally, since somebody will inevitably have enormous power over my daily life anyway, I'd rather have it be corporations because they actually have to provide useful stuff to exist and the competition will keep them in check. Unlike politicians whose first interest is getting elected and second getting reelected with any other concern at a huge distance away.

unionpivo 5y ago
At the end of day power is power. Once a corporation has enough of it compared to local governments it might as well be "government like entity" themselves, or like in case of defense contractors (not just USA, look at Airbuss in EU, Ariane in France, NSO and others in Israel) where it's hard to draw a line where corporations end and government start. There are plenty of places with week governments in the world, where global multinationals are above the law (look at Africa, some south America). If corporations get big enough, this might start happening in more developed world as well. I perhaps notice it more because I live in small country (Slovenia) whose entire national budget is lower than any one of the FANG's. This is one of the reason I support EU despite it's many shortcomings.