
The U.S. Only Pretends to Have Free Markets - alistairSH
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/10/europe-not-america-home-free-market/600859/
======
Mathnerd314
An unfavorable review:
[https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2019/07/th...](https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2019/07/the-
great-reversal-how-america-gave-up-on-free-markets.html)

As usual I didn't buy the book, but previewing it on Amazon it seems long on
pontificating and short on references. There are a few numbers but the
analysis goes like "Look at these numbers. Something is terribly wrong. It
must be market failure!".

I subscribe more to the failed government theory, there is just nobody in any
of these fields who cares about economic efficiency as they are too busy
fighting to get campaign funding.

~~~
ZeroGravitas
That's a strangely mixed review, and the same probably applies to your
comment.

He seems to agree that regulations are preventing competition and should be
removed, yet simultaneously argues that there's no evidence of companies
output being affected and so we shouldn't have stronger anti-trust action.

It seems paradoxical to hold both these opinions at once.

Particularly if corporations are paying politicians to enact (or at least not
repeal) those laws.

How can foreign airlines entering the market improve matters if the domestic
airlines are already being directed by the invisible hand of the market to
deliver the best service possible?

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mikhailfranco
More support from a special report in _The Economist_ :

[https://www.economist.com/special-
report/2018/11/15/across-t...](https://www.economist.com/special-
report/2018/11/15/across-the-west-powerful-firms-are-becoming-even-more-
powerful)

[https://www.economist.com/graphic-
detail/2018/11/20/competit...](https://www.economist.com/graphic-
detail/2018/11/20/competition-is-withering-on-both-sides-of-the-atlantic)

[https://www.economist.com/leaders/2018/07/26/like-america-
br...](https://www.economist.com/leaders/2018/07/26/like-america-britain-
suffers-from-a-lack-of-competition)

[https://www.economist.com/graphic-
detail/2016/03/24/corporat...](https://www.economist.com/graphic-
detail/2016/03/24/corporate-concentration)

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danzig13
>In some industries, licensing rules directly exclude new competitors; in
other cases, regulations are complex enough that only the largest companies
can afford to comply.

Not really a regulation but sales tax is a nightmare. We really need a
consistent federal standard.

~~~
Ancalagon
I still find the licensing requirement for hair-cutters to be absurd and
hilarious. You need a license and very expensive schooling to _cut hair_.

------
gyuserbti
This extends everywhere, including licensing laws and so forth.

