[P2P-F] Ordoliberalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fri Dec 9 22:16:37 CET 2011

> "Ordoliberal theory holds that the state must create a proper legal
environment for the economy and maintain a healthy level of competition
(rather than just "exchange") through measures that adhere to market
principles."
   "The concern is that, if the state does not take active measures to foster
competition, firms with monopoly (or oligopoly) power will emerge, which will
not only subvert the advantages offered by the market economy, but also
possibly undermine good government, since strong economic power can be
transformed into political power"

Based on my understanding of Kevin Carson and company's writings, this
argument seems wrong.  How could a company obtain monopoly power
without it's ability to use the *state* legal system to enforce its
monopoly?  Minus onerous (and unenforceable) patents and copyrights,
it seems that a genuine free market of highly diverse and
decentralized players would all be playing economic games with each
other. Without patents or copyrights being enforced through force (by
the state or nakedly by wanna-be oligarchs or neofedualists),
cooperative peer production would (ironically) out-compete mere
"competition".  I can see no way that any state, no matter how well
intentioned, can't be captured at some point. The result is a modified
legal code that favors certain players over others, eventually
reaching the end-state of a unified corpocracy.

-Paul

(~*~)