[nickpp]

Nobody said anything about not having governments. Rule of Law is required for societies to even exist.

Read some more on the robber baron era - you'll find out Standard Oil was already losing to competition before government action. For another great example how the free market broke a cartel, read up on how Dow Chemical fought the German bromine cartel:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Henry_Dow#Breaking_a_m...

No government intervention necessary.

[lmm]

> Nobody said anything about not having governments.

That's very clearly where you're going with this though.

> Point me to a resistant monopoly or cartel and I will show you a government granted/supported one.

[nickpp]

Please don't put words in my mouth. Government's role in a free market economy is quite essential: upholding rule of law (specifically contract law) and taxing externalities. Overreach is the problem though (like regulating the charging port on my damn phone).