Monopolism is at the heart of the state

Forget for a moment government-created monopolies on things like mail delivery, currency, and national defense or the cartelization of utility companies and the tobacco and oil industries. Now that America is in its worst recession since the 1930s, it's becoming clear to many people that, for all the talk of property rights and private industry in the U.S., monopolism lies at the heart of the American state.

From war to health care subsidies to financial bailouts, all impossible absent the existence of the taxpayer, the government must retain a monopoly over any and all activity lest it lose its relevance. Even antitrust laws, which ostensibly exist to prevent monoplies, are nothing more than a means used by the state to secure its own dominion over private industry. The government doesn't mind monopolies; it only minds if it doesn't husband sole authority over everything we do.

The definition of monoply is having exclusive control over a commercial activity. However, how many people ever associate monopolies with the state? The government, they say, prevents monopolies to "protect" us from big, bad corporate monsters who would "gouge" us for every penny otherwise. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of allowing mismanaged behemoths like AIG, Citibank, Bear Stearns, and Freddie and Fannie to fall -- a very real testament to the fact that there are no monopolies in a truly free market -- the feds inject their authority in the attempt to preserve the status quo and prevent competition in the marketplace.

The American economy ultimately is one monstrous government monopoly. Whether the central state creates its own monopolies or hyper-regulates and subsidizes so-called private industry, we nevertheless are subservient to its every whim.