by Chris Black
I see a lot of people pointing at big tech, big pharma, etc., and then blaming “capitalism” for their power, but it’s government subsidies (essentially socialism) that prop them up, helps them expand their market share, etc.
These are state-protected cartels. Take away the subsidies and these companies will have to face true free market competition and will lose market share.
Anti-capitalists will condemn the cartel but not the state behind it.
US cities and states give big tech $9.3bn in subsidies in five years t.co/sNXFGBAdnm
— The Guardian (@guardian) July 2, 2018
With big industries like oil/gas, tech, car manufacturing, etc., you will always have only a few companies owning much of the market share.
It takes a lot of money to start a car company, tech company, and oil company, so there will naturally be less competition in these sectors… but there still is competition in a free market, if you take that away you’ll get a true monopoly (the government) being the only source of control on these industries.
For example under Communism East Germans could only purchase one type of car, the atrocious Trabant, while West Germans had many nice options for cars at different prices.
Look how many corporations the Canadian government owns and runs. Canada also has national health care, a public school system including owning some universities, national postal service, public transportation (buses and trains), a state broadcaster (CBC) and owns other public TV and radio stations, a large welfare state, gives out student loans, business loans, subsidizes museums, art galleries, national parks, reserves, etc.
Flies in the face of these internet dummies who claim we’re living under some kind of “neo-liberal” absolutist free market system.