Quote Originally Posted by Fisherking View Post
Most of us have no idea of what a free market is. You usually only find it practiced on a very small scale in most modern countries. Monopolies are hardly possible in a real free market as anyone at anytime can start a business to compete with it. A free market empowers the customer and forces the provider of goods and services to satisfy the demands of those using their product. The one providing the best perceived value is the one who would most likely succeed.

Businesses usually detest it. They would much rather that governments set boundaries for who may compete and often time, the more restrictive the better.

Providing such things as purity laws, weights and measures, etc. are not bad things. Companies who displeased the public by polluting or abusing employees should also face public outcries which would also affect their bottom line.

Companies which got away with such practices in the past were also shielded by government or societal construct, as the class system. Red tape saying who may start a business, licensing fees, and other restrictions have always been to restrict and limit competition. Just as laws limiting liabilities for damages have favoured the select.

This is a system of free enterprise where anyone with a particular skill may use it to best mean to improve their lot and those who provide substandard results will not fare as well as those who excel.
What government policies were in place between 1860-1890 that promoted monopolies (excluding the railroad industry)?