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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Undercutting prices

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  • From: Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Undercutting prices
  • Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 08:44:40 -0400

On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 21:40:48 -0600, you wrote:

>
>In theory yes, but in practice every state tolerates price fixing on the
>largest scale because it's so hard to prove and the largest corporations
>have a lot more lawyer money than the state prosecutors. Actually what we're
>talking about here is not making everybody sell a certain vegetable at the
>same price. It's about price wars to drive competition out of business and
>gain a monopoly - a very UN-free-market type of tactic.
>

I'll disagree with you on the last point: it's absolutely
characteristic of a free-market. Totally.

Price wars, and only the biggest and most powerful will be
left standing. That *is* a free market. That's what a free
market does.

The free market winds up with Wal-Marts coast to coast and
not much else. We live in a county with one Wal-Mart and
not much else. The 'free market' accomplished this.
Wal-Mart was free to undercut other discount stores until
they went bankrupt.

I'm *not* personally advocating this, mind you. I don't
think it's good for the citizenry or the small businessman
or small farmer. But it's sure good for Wal-Mart and other
behemoths.

Pat


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