Re: [OPE] free competition

Jerry's collection of definitions followed by his comments seem to be sensible and useful in understanding the issue.   B.R.Bapuji, Professor, Centre for Applied Linguistics & Translation Studies [CALTS], University of Hyderabad, Central University post office, HYDERABAD-500 046. (Phone: 040-23133655,23133650 or 23010161). Residence address: 76, Lake-side Colony, Near Durgam Cheruvu, [End of Road opp:Madapur Police Station], Jubilee Hills post, Hyderabad-500033. (Phone: 040-23117302)   ________________________________ From: GERALD LEVY <gerald_a_levy@msn.com> To: Outline on Political Economy mailing list <ope@lists.csuchico.edu> Sent: Sun, April 10, 2011 6:05:21 AM Subject: Re: [OPE] free competition > What does "free competition" mean? Jurriaan: Here are some web definitions. Note how they are all basically in agreement. "the situation of being free to compete without government interference." (Economics-Dictionary.com) "a free market is a market without economic intervention and regulation by government except to regulate against force or fraud." (Wikipedia) "the fact of being free to compete without government interference." (glossaryofmarketing.com; investorwords.com; accounting-dictionary.com) "unregulated competition for business between companies. a situation in which companies are allowed to compete with each other to win business without government intervention or restrictions." (Qfinance.com) "being free to compete without government interference" (PoliticsDictionary.com> "freedom to compete without government interference." (PublishingDictionary.com) Etc. Etc. Etc. There is thus a clear and generally accepted meaning of free competition. If you consider this from the perspective of the history of thought, you should understand it's ideological character and its relation to other 'freedoms' such as free enterprise, free market, free market capitalism, etc. One shouldn't have to read what Marx had to say about competition and monopoly to grasp this.  Ignorance is the only legitimate excuse for a radical or a non-mainstream economist using the expression 'free compeition' in any other way than to expose the base ideological character of mainstream thought. In solidarity, Jerry                           _______________________________________________ ope mailing list ope@lists.csuchico.edu https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/ope

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Received on Sun Apr 10 00:23:22 2011