Are Monopolies Legal in the USA?

Answer 1

No. (With the exception of major league baseball. It's true...there's a Supreme Court case saying that baseball is unique ('sui generis' to be technical) and the normal monopoly restrictions do not apply)

Otherwise monopolies are illegal UNLESS they serve a vital necessity. Keep in mind that proving a monopoly is pretty tough. Microsoft is a huge dominant player in the software market, but that alone doesn't make it a monopoly...it got in trouble not because of it's size, but because of specific business practices designed to reduce competition.

Answer 2

Legal Monopoly

Answer 3

First of all Microsoft isn't a monopoly. How many of you Apple or Linux users feel you had no choice in what system to buy. A true monopoly has the market cornered and uses unfair practices to stifle competition. The Bell beakup of the 70's(or 80's my memeory is a little vague) is a good example. Before the anti-trust lawsuit Ma Bell and the Baby Bells had 95% of the local and long distance telephone market. There was no competition, just a few smaller regional comanies that existed in unattractive markets. Its funny but it is starting to look like Ma Bell is reconsolidating again.

Answer 4

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RE:
Are Monopolies Legal in the USA?

Answer 5

Yes they are. Baseball is a legally protected monopoly, for example.

While some people think corporations like Microsoft are monopolies, they aren't because they have competition from products like apple and Linux.

Monopolies do exist and they can only exist under the protection of gvmt.

Public education is another monopoly.

Answer 6

No, monopolies are not legal in the USA.

There are numerous anti-trust laws in the United States that prevent outright monopolies.

Answer 7

Theoretically speaking, no. But there are state sanctioned monopolies such as the USPS. They have exclusive rights to deliver 1st class mail.

Further, there could be companies out there who might be considered artificial monopolies by virtue that nobody else competes or occupies the market in which they operate.

Answer 8

No Monopolies are not legal
.Antitrust laws, or competition laws, are laws which prohibit anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. The laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both, or generally to violate standards of ethical behavior. Government agencies known as competition regulators regulate antitrust laws, and may also be responsible for regulating related laws dealing with consumer protection.

The term "antitrust" derives from the U.S. law which was originally formulated to combat "business trusts", now more commonly known as cartels. Other countries use the term "competition law". Many countries including most of the Western world have antitrust laws of some form. For example the European Union has its own competition law.

Answer 9

Absolutely. In fact, monoplies are encouraged. Only "on paper" does it say monopolies are illegal...and that's just to keep up apperances.

Answer 10

In general no, however, there are some state sanctioned monopolies and oligopolies. (the electric company for example)