Corporate Corruption Consortium

• A fundamental prerequisite for a free market is to have an adequate number of suppliers and an adequate number of consumers, i.e., both an adequate number of buyers and an adequate number of sellers.

  The failure to have an adequate number of either sellers or buyers, prohibits the market from operating freely.

• Government attempts to compensate for any market inadequacies constitutes intervention that often further prevents it from being a true free enterprise system.

A monopoly has often been the result of an inadequate number of suppliers, such that the limited source(s) of supply is able to set almost any price they want.  The buyers, although they be numerous, have no alternative but to pay the price that is dictated by the supplier(s). 

Anytime there is a limited number of suppliers, prices become controlled (dictated) by the supplier(s).

Even if there is more than one "single" source, a pseudo monopoly often exists because of a very limited number of suppliers. 

• If there is only one supplier (having 100% of the market), it is a defined or absolute monopoly.
  
  
• If one supplier has more that 50% of the market, it is a defacto monopoly.
  
  
• Often there may appear to be many sources, but they are all selling an item for which there is only one actual source.
  
  
• When only a few suppliers dominate a very large market, the near-equivalent of a monopoly often exists.  This is especially true when each of the large suppliers focuses on a different segment of that market, e.g., a different geographical region.
  
  
• Likewise, when a cartel exists - openly (or behind the scenes) - to manipulate prices under the pretext of a "market-based economy," the effect is the same as a monopoly.

The result of an inadequate number of buyers, such that the limited market for goods and services also ..... the buyer is able to set almost any price he wants, and the Sellers, although they be numerous, have no alternative but to accept that buyers' price.

Anytime there is a limited number of buyers, prices become controlled (dictated) by those buyers.

This is most frequently evident in the labor market.  When many would-be workers want jobs, but only a few entities are offering jobs, i.e., there are only a few buyers of labor, this results in very low prices (i.e., wages) - as dictated by the buyers of the labor (i.e., employers).

Other common examples include family farmers vs. a limited number of livestock packing houses, milk processors, grain processors, cotton mills, etc.

The combination of both limited buyers and limited sellers really inhibits a true free market system to function.

• This is most commonly exhibited when the buyers of the original product are the "distributors" who are, in turn, are the sellers to the ultimate consumer. 
  
  
• This holds true for services -- as well as hard goods and commodities. 

No free market system had function when there is a comparatively small number of distributors.

• Recording studios
• Food processors and distributors
• Publishers
• Energy distributors
• Television networks

The antithesis of a true free market system. Many people doing the farming (tiling the soil, planting and harvesting the crops, raising the animals, etc.), working in the factories, etc. But only a few who control the storage and distribution of those goods and services. to the many people who want to consume the food, goods, services, et al.

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