janalsncm
10 months ago
It’s a bad sign for a market when certain players’ profits are growing unconstrained. It suggests something is very wrong with a market. I believe the government’s role is at a minimum to correct for market failures and inefficiencies.
Intuitively, a healthy market should prevent this kind of price gouging because there’s a strong incentive for new players to undercut incumbents. I can’t charge too much for gas because the station across the street will undercut me. If prices are growing that isn’t necessarily a bad sign. But we have seen several areas, like rent prices, eggs, meat, and oil, where profits grew unconstrained. And that’s a strong indicator that something is wrong.
Lena Khan is very sharp and seems to be cracking down on this kind of thing. I just hope she is able to continue.
JohnMakin
10 months ago
> I believe the government’s role is at a minimum to correct for market failures and inefficiencies.
Much, maybe even half of the country does not believe this though. Until that changes nothing will.
late edit: I personally believe this, but I’ve lost faith in this government’s ability to do this role without extreme corruption, so meh. No idea what to do really.
RedAuburn
10 months ago
the alternative to "the free market" is a planned economy.
maest
10 months ago
This is what's called a "false dichotomy"
OutOfHere
10 months ago
Well, we have neither a free market nor a planned economy. We have a protected industry.
janalsncm
10 months ago
“Free” market is a bad term. The options are regulated and unregulated. If you don’t regulate at all, you get monopolies and your market isn’t any more “free”.