What are monopolies and why are they bad?

[Drace]

Explain please.

[Comrade B]

Monopolies are industries controlled by a single business. There are four kinds, geographic, where a business is the only one of its kind in the area, such as a gas station in the middle of nowhere, natural, where the industry can't be moved (I think, not so sure about this one), Technological, where a business is the only one with it's technology, and government controlled, which is a good kind in the hands of communism.

Geographic is the worst kind. That can be national, or international scale. These charge people massive and unpractical prices for their products because of the lack of regulation or competition.

[Presty7]

Monopolies are industries controlled by a single business. There are four kinds, geographic, where a business is the only one of its kind in the area, such as a gas station in the middle of nowhere, natural, where the industry can't be moved (I think, not so sure about this one), Technological, where a business is the only one with it's technology, and government controlled, which is a good kind in the hands of communism.

Geographic is the worst kind. That can be national, or international scale. These charge people massive and unpractical prices for their products because of the lack of regulation or competition.

Well said, but I thought natural monopoly meant that an industry was less efficient with multiple companies producing a good than it was under one company producing those goods.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Monopolies are industries controlled by a single business. There are four kinds, geographic, where a business is the only one of its kind in the area, such as a gas station in the middle of nowhere, natural, where the industry can't be moved (I think, not so sure about this one), Technological, where a business is the only one with it's technology, and government controlled, which is a good kind in the hands of communism.

Geographic is the worst kind. That can be national, or international scale. These charge people massive and unpractical prices for their products because of the lack of regulation or competition.

Actually, naturally monopolies arise when the competitive alternative results in higher prices for the consumer, like utilities. Natural monopolies are good, but only if they're publicly owned.

[Comrade B]

I really need to check out that stuff on natural monopolies again... kind of zoned out in my economics class while that was being covered...

Yeah, listen to them on that one, not me

[RebelDog]

Actually, naturally monopolies arise when the competitive alternative results in higher prices for the consumer, like utilities. Natural monopolies are good, but only if they're publicly owned.

Natural monopolies are good? What does that mean? What does public ownership do for workers? What about participatory planning, self management and democratic control? Do people not count in your masterplan?

[Vendetta]

Natural monopolies are good, but only if they're publicly owned.

Publicly owned by who?;)

[Drace]

I'm still looking for a better answer..


n addition, in pure capitalism massive monopolies are created controlling entire markets. Even though this is not the case in reality, monopolies are a result of capitalism. One of the benefits of monopolies are increased economies of scale and as a result increased spending on Research and Development by these firms leading to more new and innovative technology.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Natural monopolies are good? What does that mean? What does public ownership do for workers? What about participatory planning, self management and democratic control? Do people not count in your masterplan?

I was suggesting "public ownership" over natural monopolies as an immediate demand, not as a revolutionary demand.