[yoyar]

This is why I wrote the comment in the manner that I did.

There is an ongoing confusion about what is the free market and what is corporatism/fascism. The free market provides for free competition between individuals where all transactions are voluntary and no force is used to interfere with any interactions between parties. In a corporatist/fascist environment the government uses force to interfere in nearly all aspects of the market. In fascism, corporations end up in bed with the government and the corps use that power to get what they want while the government sells the idea by using propaganda to fool people into thinking that "it's all for your own good".

When the government is in charge of setting rates for internet access this is the farthest thing in the world from a free market. What it is, is soviet style socialist central planning.

But there seems to be a strong desire to blame the free market for all woes, despite the obvious government interference in all aspects of these interactions.

What is free about having the government set the policies for internet charges?

In a free market the government wouldn't be involved at all, and the rates would be determined via competition.

Take a look at markets that are relatively more free, such as the cell phone market and the market for computer chips. Quality and features improve while prices go down over time.

When I admire my HTC Android phone I marvel at the quality and features and the amazing technology. This is the result of healthy competition.

Take a look at markets where the government is involved such as health care. Quality and choice are reduced while prices go through the roof. (and no, that's not going to change with "obamacare")

Please don't confuse markets that are highly regulated and controlled by the government with free markets. They are polar opposites.

[Nobido]

At the same time, you shouldn't confuse a regulatory system that gives corporations whatever they want with socialism. If there was no crtc, they would already be billing this way. It's a lot harder for a free market to curb monopolies in Canada, as we are a vast and comparatively sparsely populated country. I would imagine the cost of setting up an infrastructure across the country for so few users would not be viable for a small startup company. If it were not for the crtc, bell would never ever have shared their infrastructure with smaller companies and the free market would have delivered us a monopoly for sure.

[yoyar]

The difference between the government owning and the government not owning but controlling a corporate entity(s) are irrelevant to me. If anything, the government sets up the conditions for monopolies and oligopolies to exist.

> If it were not for the crtc, bell would never ever have shared their infrastructure with smaller companies and the free market would have delivered us a monopoly for sure.

How do you know this?

[uytrtyui]

>such as the cell phone market

Not in Canada - same two monopoly suppliers. Means you get the iPhone 18months after the US, kindle 2 years later, still can't get skypein etc.

[noarchy]

Unless something has changed, you still cannot get a Kindle from amazon.ca. Instead, you've got to go through amazon.com, and there are restrictions on the books that you can buy, if you do it in Canada.

[uytrtyui]

Even buying it from the US - it only just got wireless downloads in Canada

[yoyar]

I was referring to the hardware. Not the set of supplier corporations that are intertwined with the state.

[russell]

I agree with you, yoyar, but the use of fascism is so overloaded with historical emotion that it weakens your argument. Corporatism != fascism. Fascism adds to corporatism religious intolerance, racism, denial of freedom of expression, denial of due process, etc. While we can see individuals in power espousing elements of fascism, thankfully we havent gone there yet.