Monopoly

A monopoly is a business that exerts an anti-competitive stranglehold on a particular market. A horizontal monopoly is one that controls virtually all of a particular commodity, product or service. A vertical monopoly is more powerful, as it controls every stage in a product's manufacture and sale, from the extraction of the raw materials needed to manufacture the product to the distribution, marketing and sale of the product. While monopolies have been illegal in the United States since the days of the robber barons, who drove all competition out of business in the railroad and steel industries, Bill Gates has come close to creating a monopoly on computer software. Conservatives and Libertarians believe government should not interfere in the market to prevent or dismantle monopolies because their one goal in life is to be filthy rich, or become best friends with someone who is filthy rich.

"Monopoly" is a board game in which the goal is to gain monopolies on real estate, utilities and railroads and drive all competition out of business. The game was invented and became very popular during the Great Depression of the 1930's for obvious reasons. In a time when vast numbers of people lost their life savings and/or lost their jobs, this was a game in which you could wield lots of play money and buy lots of stuff.