7 ms·

I thought the USA was the model of capitalism. However it appears the opposite, monopolies run rampant. The free market is killed rather than encouraged.

rhizome 13y ago
Monopoly is the apotheosis of capitalist desire, competition is merely the measuring stick.
bryanlarsen 13y ago
Infrastructure is the quintessential example of a natural monopoly. Free markets encourage natural monopolies. A non-free market is required to avoid natural monopolies.
Consultant32452 13y ago
If you read the article it's plain to see that the monopolies are enforced and encouraged by the currently existing regulations. There is no free market in ISPs in the US.
- res0nat0r 13y ago
  You mean natural monopolies?
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
seventytwo 13y ago
What are you talking about? Monopolies ARE capitalism run rampant.
- praxeologist 13y ago
  Nonsense. Leftists conflate "state capitalism", cronyism or corporatism with real, free-market capitalism. Internet monopolies like Comcast or TWC enjoy are state-granted monopolies, not "natural monopolies" (which have never existed).
  - dragonwriter 13y ago
    > Nonsense. Leftists conflate "state capitalism", cronyism or corporatism with real, free-market capitalism. Leftists -- specifically, socialists -- created the name "capitalism" as a name for a real system which existed in the developed world in the 19th Century, in which the economic order was actively managed to favor the interest of the capital-holding class. The idea that this was system had something to do with "free markets" was part of the propaganda of defenders of that real, very much crony, system in response to that critique. Its kind of weird to call the real thing which actually existed that "capitalism" was coined to refer to as anything other than real capitalism, while referring to amorphous, ill-defined, fantasy as "real capitalism". "State capitalism" is a different thing entirely -- it usually shows up in critiques by leftists, particularly non-Leninist socialists, of Leninist(incl. Stalinist/Maoist)-style "Communism".
    - doyoulikeworms 13y ago
      ITT: pedantry
  - lkbm 13y ago
    Given that network effects and economies of scale are real things, on what grounds to you claim that natural monopolies don't exist?
  - coldtea 13y ago
    The actual nonsense is the existance of the mythical " real, free-market capitalism", that nobody has ever seen in practice. The "free market" that does exist is based on subsidies, bailouts, state protection, monopolies, a huge army, bullying, and resource grabbing (and past 300+ years of colonialism). Heck, the "free market" is even more mythical than the laughable "really existing socialism".
    - jbooth 13y ago
      Not to mention, taking an econ 101 supply and demand graph based on a quote 'widget factory' (actual textbook quote) and applying those ideas about marginal cost to utility economics where you build the grid once and then charge on subscription. Unironically. Earnestly, even.
alexeisadeski3 13y ago
>I thought the USA was the model of capitalism. You mean to tell me that the NYT has been lying to me all these years?

rhizome 13y ago

Monopoly is the apotheosis of capitalist desire, competition is merely the measuring stick.

bryanlarsen 13y ago

Infrastructure is the quintessential example of a natural monopoly. Free markets encourage natural monopolies. A non-free market is required to avoid natural monopolies.

Consultant32452 13y ago

If you read the article it's plain to see that the monopolies are enforced and encouraged by the currently existing regulations. There is no free market in ISPs in the US.

res0nat0r 13y ago
You mean natural monopolies?

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

seventytwo 13y ago

What are you talking about? Monopolies ARE capitalism run rampant.

praxeologist 13y ago
Nonsense. Leftists conflate "state capitalism", cronyism or corporatism with real, free-market capitalism. Internet monopolies like Comcast or TWC enjoy are state-granted monopolies, not "natural monopolies" (which have never existed).
- dragonwriter 13y ago
  > Nonsense. Leftists conflate "state capitalism", cronyism or corporatism with real, free-market capitalism. Leftists -- specifically, socialists -- created the name "capitalism" as a name for a real system which existed in the developed world in the 19th Century, in which the economic order was actively managed to favor the interest of the capital-holding class. The idea that this was system had something to do with "free markets" was part of the propaganda of defenders of that real, very much crony, system in response to that critique. Its kind of weird to call the real thing which actually existed that "capitalism" was coined to refer to as anything other than real capitalism, while referring to amorphous, ill-defined, fantasy as "real capitalism". "State capitalism" is a different thing entirely -- it usually shows up in critiques by leftists, particularly non-Leninist socialists, of Leninist(incl. Stalinist/Maoist)-style "Communism".
  - doyoulikeworms 13y ago
    ITT: pedantry
- lkbm 13y ago
  Given that network effects and economies of scale are real things, on what grounds to you claim that natural monopolies don't exist?
- coldtea 13y ago
  The actual nonsense is the existance of the mythical " real, free-market capitalism", that nobody has ever seen in practice. The "free market" that does exist is based on subsidies, bailouts, state protection, monopolies, a huge army, bullying, and resource grabbing (and past 300+ years of colonialism). Heck, the "free market" is even more mythical than the laughable "really existing socialism".
  - jbooth 13y ago
    Not to mention, taking an econ 101 supply and demand graph based on a quote 'widget factory' (actual textbook quote) and applying those ideas about marginal cost to utility economics where you build the grid once and then charge on subscription. Unironically. Earnestly, even.

alexeisadeski3 13y ago

>I thought the USA was the model of capitalism. You mean to tell me that the NYT has been lying to me all these years?