[TheCoelacanth]

> What you are suggesting is a one-sided market where prices can only go up and there is no restoring force.

Aren't there other ways to take a short position on a stock without actually short selling it? Like buying a put option?

[jeffbee]

That's a way to profit from the price falling but it doesn't serve the price-finding function of the market because it doesn't actually increase the supply of shares for sale.